The Loneliner
by Troe.Robert.Alecsandru
Summary: A man haunted by the same dream is on pursuit for revenge on the demon that ruined his life
1. Part One

**Part One**

„_L__oneliness. I do not know how to get rid of it, but I don't even try too much to do it. In a way I can say I got used with it. It became my wife only that it's more evil than a jealous wife, scared that I cheat on her with a much younger and more beautiful mistress. It follows me everywhere, does not give me any peace, does not let me maintain a normal conversation with anyone, and does not let me get close to anyone. I don't think I would be able right now to have a normal relationship with someone._

_It's five years since I've been on the roads, walking from village to village, from city to city, everywhere rumors take me, where facts and signs point me, dealing with the undead problems, very rare going back for the second time. Never the third._

_I wonder if I started the story wrong. Maybe I should have started with my name and say a little something about my childhood? I don't think that my ideas have any relevance or any consistency since I am not whole in my head, that I ended up keeping company to myself, talking to myself. But okay, I will start with the beginning trying to make a summary as ample as possible of the most important things._

_Hello, I think would be nice to start with a greeting, my name is Trebor and I am a priest with divine powers. I was raised in a monastery since I was a baby. I don`t remember anything about my parents because I never met them, being dropped on the monastery's main steps. If I was a little more stupid I could say or believe that I do not have parents and that I came on earth tumbling down like a rock from the skies. I do not believe something like that, even if I was a faithful person, I was brought on earth by two people of opposite sex. The nuns on the other hand were sure that I was sent from heavens. For a while I believed that also. Everything came crumbling down like a house of cards when I realized I can bleed, that I am only human. The shock was not paralyzing at all, because somewhere inside me I always knew that I am nothing but a normal human. _

_For the nuns I was a saint because I was doing all of their chores around the monastery. But this lasted just three years. At the age of seven, a cat fell off the monastery hurting itself. I touched her and it instantly healed. I only used my mind, I imagined healing her. Iosif was there, Iosif being the high priest of the monastery, the oldest one there. He saw my powers, and the day after, he took me under his wings, so to speak, training me to amplify my powers and to learn to use them properly. _

_When I was nineteen, the trainings ended suddenly, when Iosif got really ill. Fever, cold, he stood in bed in pain more than a week. Everyone from the monastery was desperate to save him, I did not know why, because I was not up to the day with the current facts. To me it was normal since he was over ninety years old. I found out why they were so scared of him dying, at short time after it happened, again on the hard and nasty way. He left me the crucifix that was holding in his hand all the time and told me to keep it with me. It will raise my powers and it will let me know when something that should not be alive is around._

_With his last words he begged me to forgive him for the life I was about to live. He knew very well what was about to come, because he lived the same way until he got too old to walk the roads. I exempted him of the things that were pushing on his soul._

_He was buried behind the monastery, amongst all other priest and people that died here since the monastery was built._

_A week past, some of the priests left. The nuns and older monks remained, but they were terrified of something. I remained also, trying to find more things about Iosif that could help me in the life I was cursed to have. Maybe I was avoiding to walk on the path that was set for me, I was afraid of the unknown. You cannot escape the fate that was determined for you. I did not escaped fate either._

_It was night, raining hard, everyone was sleeping. I was in Iosif's room reading old documents, reports of his about places he's been to and things he did. I could not believe what I was reading, or that what was written there really existed. Even if he explained during the years what I could find over these walls and what would my life be if I decide to hunt these creatures, I could not believe it. You could say I was documenting myself about the different creatures of night, of fog, of the cemetery._

_Now I can explain what happened during that night, because I had years at my side to reflect, to turn the things on all sides. But I remember I was so shocked about the things I was about to live, that it took me four years to remember everything._

_It was night and raining hard, as I said earlier, that you could not see at five steps in front of you. As I was sitting bend above the table, deepen in Iosif's writings, with the candlestick almost melted, I started feeling cold air at my feet. When I looked down, I was sunken up to my ankles in thick fog. Something like this was not normal because in all my nineteen years since I was there it never happened, and this kind of weather was almost daily, I mean nightly, around here this time of year. The candlestick on the table fully burned, letting the darkness take control over the room. Then I observed it. A weak light coming from somewhere in the room. I knew from where it came before turning my head to look at it, even if it was for the first time it worked around me. It was the crucifix that was sitting on bed and was pulsating light. I heard a low noise in the crack from opposite wall, looked that way and I saw a form. Could not see of who was it, who was sitting in the crack of the wall because it was too dark. Than a thunder lightened the sky and earth with a bright white light. I felt as the blood drained from my face. Standing in the window was Iosif, his body, full of mud, breathing jerkily, he had an ugly grimace on his face, his eyes were dead and they sparkled a few more seconds after the light from thunder passed. He was full of hate, looking at me with that icy cold sight that was freezing me also. I did not knew what to do. Slowly got up from the bed. I knew that is was futile to call him by his name, I knew that he was not listening to me. That creature had only his body, none of his conscience. I took the crucifix off the bed continuing to look at Iosif and I pointed it at him as long as my arm could go, from the place where I was sitting. Iosif growled shortly and disappeared from my view. I rushed out the door running down the corridor and exiting in the interior courtyard with the intention to close the entrance door. If the door was not closed with the key it could be open with a gently touch._

_The courtyard was filled with that thick fog. The fright in me grew when I saw the main door fully opened._

_I ran back inside the monastery, shutting the door behind me and leaning my back on it. I did not knew if I should block it also, because if Iosif managed to enter the house, blocking it might give me some trouble at critical moments, but if I was leaving it like this, the former priest could enter. I started running toward the sleeping rooms, leaving the door like that when I heard one of the nuns screaming._

_The scream ended abruptly, I knew very well the reason, but I was not mentally prepared for what I was about to see. When I pushed the door from the corridor that lead to the sleeping rooms, I could not open it all the way. The bloody body, with pieces of meat missing from different place, was blocking the door to open all the way. I pushed with my shoulder, turning the body with the door. It's chest was open, with the insides hanging on the floor. I looked at her face, regardless the fact that it was full of blood and that there was a piece of her left face bit off, I recognized her, but I could not feel anything for her. I started stepping on the corridor, slowly, trying to not make any noise in case the zombie was still nearby, I was avoiding the few pools of blood so I don't slip in them. I was starting to feel dizzy, too many feeling were whirling inside me. I reached the first row of rooms that were on both sides of the corridor, with the doors wide open_."

Trebor's thoughts stopped when a person sit down at his table, placing in front of him the beer he ordered a while ago. The one that took a seat was not the innkeeper, he knew very well who it was, and that's why he did not even look at him.

- I heard rumors that you were around, looks like this time they were true, the stranger started.

Trebor did not response instead he took a sip from the beer. It was cold, perfect for the heat outside, invigorating.

„_What mistake I made. When the hell will I ever learn? I have deepened way too much in memories and I lost the touch with reality, which in my job can be fatal. I did not heard when he entered and kicked everyone out. At least is good that he makes mistakes also, because by bringing me this beer he returns a part of my powers that I lost walking on this heat non-stop for three days. He probably tries to read my mind, let him try, the crucifix protects me_."

The stranger in front of him asked a few more questions that Trebor did not even listened to and even if he did he would have not answered. The anger was pilling up in the stranger.

„_That's it, get angry, you were human once so the rule applies to you also, the angry man does not think as clearly as a calm one. It will be more easier for me to take advantage of your recklessness._"

- Okay, this is how things are, said the stranger from Trebor's table.

He slowly leaned in front, resting his hands on the table. His face was now lightened by a weak light coming from somewhere behind the priest, from a candlestick, not being hidden anymore by the tall collar from the jacket. Trebor was not affected at all by the view, he did not even looked at him, instead continued to sip from his beer.

Face white as wax, just a little pink color in his cheeks, was not helping him at all to look more human, instead he looked like a lifeless puppet. Eyes burning red, bloody, lips were pink, he has eaten shortly before. As his mouth was a little open his teeth could be seen as white blades filling the inside.

- I want to believe about you that you are a smart human, that knows how to weight a situation, other ways I don`t think you could be so lucky to survive for so long in this job you have. So I just want to remind you, that you are on my territory and I don`t want you to do something foolish. I want you gone before sunrise.

- Tell the innkeeper that the beer is not bubbly enough, was Trebor's answer.

The priest stood up from the table, drinking what was left of his beer, than went up to his room, where he started preparing for the future events.

„_He probably takes me as the village's idiot, if only for a moment he thought I would believe one of his words. A vrykolakas that permits a hunter to leave his village without a scratch? Ha, this is a good one. He would have attacked me right then and there in the bar if he did not believed I was prepared for that. But he will not let me wait, for sure he will make an unannounced visit tonight_."

He hastened his steps when reached the first floor. It was possible that he did not had a lot of time at his disposal to prepare, any second was important. Reaching his room, he closed the door behind him. Got a bag out from under the bed, threw it on the bed and started pulling out different things. On the bed were spread more objects used for his job, from which he started choosing a few.

Took two stakes, kind of used and placed them aside on the table next to the bed, he took some garlic and a bottle of holy water and placed them on the table next to the stakes. He looked around after a bowl or something close to it. The closest thing to it was a basin, used for the personal needs in case you were too lazy to go to the public toilet.

He was satisfied with that, not having other things to choose from, and this was not the moment for caprices. He cleaned fast, as well as possible, the garlic. Threw them in the basin, and started smashing them with the flat end of a stake, added some holy water and continued smashing until it became a paste. Took a brush from the bag and dipped it in the formed paste. He stepped to one of the windows and started brushing all around the frame and finishing it with a cross in the middle of the window. Same thing he did at the other window than moved to the entrance door. Opened it, looked down the corridor, no one was there, he quickly smeared the door case, and on the door he formed a cross, last he smeared the handle.

„_That's it, your only way in will be through that door, I made sure of that. It will burn you a little, but you will not resist the temptation to pull my insides out the mouth. I smeared the door with less garlic than the windows, enough for you to enter, but not too little to not realize you enter into a trap_."

He positioned the pillow in such way that it looks like it was him under the covers, blew out the candles and took position behind the door, with the stakes in his hand, waiting.

Time was passing by, he did not knew for how long he was sitting there or how long until the sun will raise, but he was getting tired, the muscles were starting to hurt because he did not moved at all from that position. Many things were going on in his head, but nothing concrete. Bits of dreams, memories, and faces of people he met in life. There was a special face he insisted keeping in his head for a while, but he could not deepen too much in dreams right now.

„_Come on already you son of a bitch. I don't have all night at my disposal, after I pierce your heart, I have other plans with you_. _Would be nice to finish with you before everyone will wake up in this village_."

But he stood long and well there. His limbs became numb, he knew this would be a problem, so he tried anyway to move, shifting his weight from one leg to another. Slowly, so the clothes will not make any noise.

A board screaked on the corridor.

„_The fun begins_."

A weak noise could be heard outside his door. An inexperienced ear would not heard it. A few moments of silence followed. In his head, Trebor, was inviting the vrykolakas faster into his room. Finally the door handle was pressed, and the door opened slowly, without a noise. The person that was standing at the door entrance was leaving a long shadow on the floor, up to the middle of the opposite wall. He slowly started stepping towards the bed, so the so-called sleeping person would not wake up.

Trebor started walking towards the person that entered his room, stepping at the same time as him, only making the steps larger. Reaching him, he stabbed him once in the back with a stake. The person yield out a scream, turned to the priest and received the second stake right in his heart. Fell like a stone on the ground, dead.

The low light from the corridor was illuminating his face. It was not the vrykolakas.

- You thought I would fell for your pathetic trap?

Trebor turned and received a fist from the vrykolakas that was standing right next to him, throwing him into the wall.

- How predictable you are. How did you survived the undead creatures for so long? I bet that nothing about you is true, that all the rumors are just words in the wind.

The creature was saying these things while stepping towards a dizzy priest. Grabbed him by the collar, lifted him up from the ground and threw it in the opposite wall.

- You are pathetic! You can't even stand on your own feet, you are just a sad hypocrite, a hypocrite and idiot priest, believing he could do something against me.

Jumped next to Trebor, lifted him again, and holding him by his throat this time, turned his head on the side a little. The vrykolakas widely opened his mouth, showing his mouth full of sharp teeth and bitten the priest.

At the beginning it was painful, but he entered into a trance, his head became heavy, everything around him started moving, the room became more obscure. A heavenly relaxation covered him when the vrykolakas released him from the restrain, he was feeling his body floating. He lifted his sight towards his adversary. He had an ugly grimace on his face and was holding his throat with both hands.

- What have you done to me? It burns on the inside, my entire body burns!

- Looks like the gossip of my blood being holy did not reached this far yet. You should have known that I always have more than just one plan when I hunt.

His right hand lightened and covering his bite marks from the neck, they healed. Trebor passed the vrykolakas, which was struggling in horrible pain on the floor, grabbed the holy water bottle and started drinking thirsty. He set on the bed, looking at the vrykolakas.

- Try to push two fingers down your throat to puke out all the bad blood.

In his desperation to survive, the vrykolakas listened to him. He got two fingers down his throat starting to puke only black blood. Three rounds of puke left a huge pool of blood on the floor, more than it would have been in a normal human.

- Oh, wait a second, I was wrong, my bad, this goes only for alcohol. You doing this, practically drowned you brain in blood, slowly melting it, a horrible pain, I don't have a doubt.

Trebor was calm, lifted his feet off the ground, to not touch the blood puked by the vrykolakas. It was looking at him with contempt.

- I know that Unraed has passed through here, he is the only one that could warn you about my arrival. And I am sure he told you what to do to me, but you should know, he does not give a crap about you and he vexed you against me knowing you will die by my hands. He won some ground like this. He is not stupid, in comparison with you, of course. As well I also know that you saw, which way he went.

- May the devil take you in his care forever, babbled the vrykolakas between his moans of pain.

- You see, there is a problem with that. Been there, done that and I was not wanted. You on the other hand, if I don't forgive your sins, you will spend an eternity in pain. I see you as a smart person that can weight a situation.

The vrykolakas was shaking, turning and twisting in pain on the floor, in his own pool blood. Tired of waiting, Trebor picked up a machete from his bag and got up from bed.

- I don't have time to wait, said Trebor lifting his hand.

- Towards Villeville, responded the vrykolakas.

- I am human, so I can lie. I will never forgive your sins.

The vrykolakas would have had something to say about this, but his powers were too dry to even say another word, only guttural whispers sounds out. With a secure move, Trebor removed the head from the body. He took some gasoline from his bag and poured it over the body and around the room, than picked up a match. He stopped in the hallway, lite it and threw it inside the room. The gasoline started burning covering everything in fire and extending fast, the wood from who the hotel was made was old, even rotten in some places.

He got out on a back door, unhooking his horse. It was a pure breed horse, dark like the night in the forest of Black Wood, a real steed with strong legs, well-tended, the harness was still on the horse. Placed the bag at it's right place.

Sounds of humans were approaching the hotel. He should hurry up, he was sure they were not too happy that he just killed they're protector.

Mounted up and started to gallop when the first people appeared from behind the corner, starting to curse him and throw rocks after him, but he was already too far to get touched by them. He did not stopped galloping until he entered the woods and looked back making sure he was not followed.

„_I should avoid this village for a while, I have a feeling I am not wanted and that they will not forget me anytime soon. Of course they were controlled by that vrykolakas, making them believe he could help, but in fact he was keeping them just for food. I made them a good. It's up to them to continue their lives. Now I should mind my own road, Villeville, yes, at around one day from here if I ride without stop. Unraed, you cannot dodge me, you cannot run from me and I am sure you cannot hide from me. You escaped my hand because of a mistake that I will not repeat. When I will get my hands on you again, it will be a lot easier to put you on the ground, permanently. You are already very weak, I touched you, and you cannot heal so easily after that. Guard up. I am coming_."

10


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

- I am overjoyed by the fact that I met you, said Trebor.

- Thank my dad, if he would have not picked you up from there we would have never met, a girl's voice answered to him.

- Your father is a big man with an even bigger heart.

- Yes, but I have the feeling that if he finds out what we do in the barn almost every time, he will forget about kindness and feed you to the pigs, the girl answered giggling.

- I think that if I talk to him, he will understand that the love between us is huge and that we were meant to be together.

- No, please, don`t do that, not yet. He does not believe in love, he keeps me for an interest marriage, for the one that is wealthiest, so he can raise his rang. He has already a few knights on the list, he gave me one year to choose one of them.

Trebor's heart broke in thousands of pieces.

- Promise me one thing Tina, said Trebor with a low voice.

The girl's big and green eyes, that were sparkling enchanting, looked deep inside Trebor's brown eyes. She was waiting for the rest of the sentence.

- Promise me that you will wait until my return, promise me that for one year you will not choose someone, and I will come back in that time, buying you from your father.

- I promise that for one year I will not look after another man.

Trebor felt a little better after this promise but he did not knew how he will make the money to satisfy her father. Trebor was playing with her light brown hair, when Tina got up fast, got dressed and left towards the castle, after she stole a goodnight kiss from her lover and telling him she will come again tomorrow to continue the discussion.

Trebor remained alone in the barn, at the first floor on hay, where was actually his bed, thinking at what to do, and smiled knowing that the discussions Tina said they need to finish another time, will end same as today. He fell asleep shortly after.

He heard the barn door opening. Thought it was Tina that was returning sometimes in the middle of the night. Smiling, he was waiting for her to come up, but the steps were taking too long to creak. He sharpened his hearing to understand what was going on. Nothing. He opened his eyes and crawled to the edge of the platform. No one was downstairs.

„_Must have been my imagination when I heard the door opening_?"

But it was not so, because the barn door was slightly opened. He knew very well that Tina always closes it behind her. Then he slowly got up from his straw bed. Looked carefully downstairs, no shadow, no movement. He wanted to go down there when he heard something behind him. He turned fast with heart biting fast. The sound was coming from a corner. It was a crunching sound. Carefully got close to that corner, he could not see anything so he lifted a hand and formed a light ball.

It was a ghoul that has been attracted by the smell, strong for him, of a dead rat.

These creatures were worthy of all despise, walking in small groups and very easy to manipulate, being always scared. They were not very dangerous, hiding always from humans, coming out from crypts or where they were hiding, only at night. Weak creatures, ugly, mostly walking on four legs, only skins and bones, but capable of nullifying the laws of physics and walk on walls. They were once humans, poor that could barely live from day to day, the hunger pushed them towards cannibalism, eating the bodies freshly buried. With time, they're hair fell, most of the teethes fell and the ones that remain got sharp. The skin became as white as the cadavers they ate. Shortly after the change, they're heart die, but the being continued living.

The creature turned towards Trebor when he formed the light ball, a gut, from the rat he was waiting, was hanging from the corner of his mouth. He yelled shortly, he covered his face with his free hand, trying to hide from the light, than started jumping on the wall and leaving through the ventilation hole.

The priest got scared also, being the first time he meets such a creature. In that moment he started remembering what happened at the monastery and everything, things about his life that he has forgotten, his entire past became clear. He did not had time to contemplate upon the things remembered, because the barn door opened again. It was the blacksmith of the village, a huge man, with curly hair and a belly, but strong. Trebor wanted to yell at him asking if there is a problem outside, but something in his movements made him shut his mouth. He was keeping his head in front, looking around. His hands were hanging weakly around the body. When the blacksmith turned its head, Trebor saw that a big chunk of meat was missing from his neck. The blood in Trebor froze.

„_Zombie!_"

The plank under Trebor's feet screeched when he tried to back out. The sound attracted the blacksmiths attention that growled and jumped up to Trebor. Looking at each other, Trebor could see the same wry face as on Iosif. The blacksmith leaped to hit with the right hand, but Trebor lowered himself passing underneath the hand. The zombie turned fast trying to hit with his left hand, but the priest was outside his hitting range, landing on his bottom on a haystack. Jumped towards him, but hit only the haystack, the priest rolled away from his way. Trebor moved his hand at the chest trying to grab the cross, but it was missing. Then he remembered that he gave it as a present to Tina in their first night together, he did not knew it had powers when he did that. The blacksmith jumped on him, Trebor was keeping him at bay with his knees. The zombie was growling. Spit was dropping from his mouth, and he was biting the air. He positioned his hands on the zombie's chest, his palms lightened yellow, and when the light exploded the zombie was thrown off, he used his feet at the same time to propel him even further, throwing him outside through the wall. Trebor got up fast and left on the same ventilation hole the ghoul did earlier.

The blacksmith returned angered, breaking down the door. Jumped back up but did not found anyone. Finally he observed the ventilation hole Trebor got out, he jumped through the roof on the sealing searching for him with his eyes. But he searched in vain, because Trebor has hidden himself behind the horn of the house next door. The blacksmith began to search for him in the opposite direction, jumping from one rooftop to another.

The priest waited until he was sure that the blacksmith was far enough to not see him, then started moving towards the castle, jumping also from a rooftop to another, being close to each other. He was hoping he will not be too late to save Tina.

He was running carefully to not slip and to not attract the attention of the creatures that were wandering the streets, entering from house to house. Not all of the town's folks were yet transformed. There could still be heard human screams, but he knew it was way too late to save them. He had to continue. At the window of one house on the other side of the street, at the second floor, there was an eight years old girl screaming for help and hitting her small fists on the window, looking behind her often. Trebor was trying to find a way to reach her. Decided to jump. Started running down the inclined roof, when at half way there he seen the door behind her brake open. The girl screamed of fear and a shadow jumped on her. Trebor stopped at a few steps from the edge. The girl's window was splat by her blood. Trebor stood shocked a few moments than continued his road before he would be seen by a zombie.

Reaching the end of the village, he finally had time to look at the castle. It was surrounded by a red fog. He made sure that no zombie was around, jumped off the house and ran up the path to the front gate of the castle that was wide opened. The main hall was empty. He ran up the stairs to Tina's room. Everything was ravaged and a strong smell of sulfur was predominating in the air.

„_Demons?! What could they do here? This attack could be led by them? Damn it, I have to find Tina!_"

He searched around the room for clues. There was no drop of blood, which it was good, Tina could still be alive. A pile of sulfur was in front of the fireplace. The fire was recently put out because the live coals were still lid. The pile of sulfur was followed by a trace down to Tina's bed.

„_They probably took her while she was asleep. She must still be alive. She has to._"

He remembered that the demons that travel through fire are nothing but acolytes. They initialize rituals to call much stronger demons trough portals.

„_And what better place there is to initiate a ritual than a holy shrine?_"

The shrine could be found in the opposite side of the castle, next to the queen's chamber.

Approaching the shrine, he started hearing voices, incantations probably. The ritual has begun already. He stopped at the shrine entrance, peeking inside. Six acolytes were around the room. They had a hole in the dark robe, for their sharp tail and split in two at the top. They had red skin, hard as stone and a sharp face. Black eyes and two small horns in forehead. They were singing with a deep voice. Looking carefully around the room, he could not see Tina.

"_She's probably on the shrine._"

He could not see the shrine because an acolyte was blocking his view. He was thinking what to do, to enter in the middle of them was stupid and reckless. They were just some acolytes, the lowest rank in Inferno, but still hard to defeat in one on one battle, and they were six this time. The only way to kill them it's with a sharp weapon, preferable from pure steel and with holy water on the blade, so the water can enter in the acolyte once scratched, and the only place where they're skin was not as hard as stone was at the base of the foot.

He was out of time to search for a blade, he did not want to lose one more second from Tina's life. Peeked once more from behind the corner. The acolytes had their hands raised, and from the shrine suddenly Tina raised. She was levitating above the shrine with the head lowered as if she was asleep. Her hands raised imitating a cross. The head moved backwards and she started to scream. From her eyes and mouth red sparks started lighting.

His mind got black and could not think about anything else when he saw Tina crucified above the shrine and got out from behind the corner. The acolytes did not saw him until one of them dropped on the floor screaming from all his lungs. Trebor used the most powerful healing magic he had remembered. It was not killing them but provoked them apocalyptic pain, pulling them out of the equation. When the second one dropped rolling in pain, the priest already got tired.

- Rash'hal mor ir corhal!

While one of the acolyte continued the ritual, the three remaining ones started walking towards the priest, determined to kill him. Trebor ran, turning right.

- Coward, he runs, said one of the acolytes.

The first one that passed the threshold and turned towards the direction Trebor went, stopped suddenly. Right in front of him, at short distance, he had the priests palms pointed towards his face. A white light smacked him over the face. The other two, that were still in the room, had to cover their eyes from the light. The eyes of the one hit exploded like two balloons. The screeching sounds he was making were horrible, even for Trebor's ears. But he did not stopped, showing him no mercy. When the light faded, the one hit fell on the ground, dead, with the face burned and still smoking. It seemed that Trebor found a new way to kill the acolytes. The forearms of the other two were badly burned. If they would not cover their faces, they would have met the same end as the other one.

The priest felt on one knee, breathing hard. This attack almost drained his entire energy even so untrained for a few years now, almost killing him also. When he lifted his eyes, the two acolytes were besides him, even angrier than before. He did not had the energy to dodge the foot of one of them and received straight in his chest, throwing him into the wall. He felt himself lifted off the ground, by his neck. The acolyte started slapping him over the face, scratching him with the knobs in his palms. Finally, when the priest's face was full of wounds, the acolyte was prepared to snap his neck.

- I want him alive, a thick voice could be heard from inside the shrine.

The acolyte smiled satisfied, grabbed Trebor by his hair and dragged him inside the room. Lifted him, with the help of another acolyte, holding him from under his arms. Trebor looked at the person in front of him and a pain more horrible than what he felt until that moment, multiplied by a few times, invaded him. Tina was sitting in front of him, but she was different.

Her eyes were red, she was smiling, her gums were bleeding and the teeth sharpened. Her face became wider, with sharp edges. On a few spots on her hands, her skin was burned to the bones, and it was still smoking, eating slowly the rest of the skin.

- So I have you to blame for the reason why my vessel is not a virgin anymore? Too bad, it would have lasted much more, I would have enjoyed wasting some time in this perfect body. But it will keep enough, until I will find another resistant vessel. You are probably wondering if she can feel these burns on her arms and legs and she has a few more on the body. The answer is, yes, they hurt and they hurt a lot. I can hear her screaming from all her guts.

Every spoken word, every spoken letter from every word, Trebor felt them like an arrow shot straight into his heart.

- By the way this is just a renting space, as you call it. I just habitat in this body. I saw you a little disoriented so I felt the need to enlighten you towards this thing before I kill you.

Tina jumped down from the shrine approaching the priest, grabbing him by his chin and forcing him to look into her eyes.

- It hurts, no? Perfect, I enjoy provoking pain. By the way, I have one more thing to thank you for, said Tina and lifted the cross given as a present by Trebor.

He grasped a moment's spark in the eye the priest that could still keep open.

- O, yes! exclaimed Tina smiling. It's becoming more and more interesting. You have no idea what this cross does. Old Iosif did not told you what it is?

- Who are you and how do you know Iosif?

But he regretted that he asked the question before even finishing it. The pain that covered his face, pain that stayed numb until that moment, made him shed a tear.

Tina stared on one side and the other, at the two acolytes hit earlier by Trebor with the healing spell. They were still struggling on the floor.

- Pathetic, brainless servants, weaker than a human.

Tina spitted towards one of them, directed a hand at each of them and shot with a red beam, exploding the heads of the two acolytes.

- Old Iosif you say? asked Tina turning again towards the priest. Well we are friends since he was young. I am the one that cursed him to raise from the dead, right before he sent back to Inferno. But you can stand still I will not do the same to you, you are way too insignificant. I don't win anything by turning you into the undead, even if it would amuse me for a while. You I will send straight to hell where I will let the executioner torture your soul until there is nothing left of it and all this just in twenty-four hours, than, puff, you are hole again, and they will have to take care of you on all over again. Day by day. But you will not be alone, soon, the soul of this piece of meat will be following you.

Tina turned with the back at him. He observed a change in her movements, she was more uncertain.

- It hurts, it hurts awfully, said Tina.

Trebor whitened, it was Tina, the real one. The demon brought her to the surface to torture her even more. An irresistible pain took control of the priest's, already heavy heart.

The girl turned, her eyes were not red anymore and the face was not sharp, but she was crying blood.

- Trebor, what is going on? She asked approaching the priest.

- It's going to be fine, he said trying to calm her down.

The two acolytes that were holding him laughed shortly from their throats.

- My entire body hurts, it burns me.

She was next to the priest now grabbing his face with both her hands. Even if the touch physically hurt him, it was the only touch he desired in those moments, the only one that could take away the pain. Tina could not observe the face of the two acolytes because they had the hoods over their faces, covering their entire face.

- What is happening with us?

Trebor could not answer Tina's questions, because he was clenching his teethes as hard as he could and he was trying with all his powers to restrain his tears. He could not restrain them all. A huge tear was rolling once in a while on his hurt face.

- Soon everything will be fine, he managed to say.

Trebor tried to escape from the acolytes grip but it was like his arms were in a stone block, they were unmovable.

Tina's right hand slipped off the priest's face and rested on his chest, with the top of the fingers touching his chest. Then she pushed, slowly breaking the skin. Priest's eyes enlarged with surprise, his face got red, he was holding his breath, trying to not scream of pain. He was surprisingly looking in Tina's tearing eyes.

- No, no, I am not doing this, stop! yelled Tina trying with the other hand to pull out the one that was entering Trebor's chest.

Started crying even harder, desperate that she could not stop. She was begging for forgiveness. Blood rushed out the priest's nose, his head was shaking. The girls hand entered already to the carpals. When the fingers touched the priest's heart, he let out a horrifying scream. Tina covered her ear with the other hand.

The priest looked one last time at the female besides who he wanted to live the rest of his life. Blood was flowing from his mouth and nose. Than everything changed in Tina's appearance, the demon came back and he was smiling malefic now.

- How dramatic, killed by the same one you wanted to live with.

- You will pay for this, started Trebor with a sturdy voice and full of hate. I will hunt you and I will torture you in ways you never imagined it possible. Listen to what I am telling you, this will not be the last time you see me, next time things will be different.

- And what will you do, you will haunt me until I die of boredom? asked the demon liberating a roaring laugh.

He did not wait for an answer from the priest and pulled the hand out holding between the fingers his heart and showed it to him while it still bits, than took a bite of it. Trebor pulled off a hoarse yell. He was feeling a pleasant dizziness, looking at the demon how he eats his heart, than everything shut down.

Suddenly Trebor woke up. He was all sweaty, holding his right hand over the ugly scar from his chest. His eyes were injected. Almost three years passed since then. He grabbed his head with his palms and whispered.

- Tina.

He was in a dark wood. His steed was looking at him. The priest had the impression that he reads pity in his eyes.

- You have all the rights to feel pity for me.

The horse neighed and became irritated. Trebor jumped on his feet holding a stake in each hand.

- Same nightmare haunts you every night and every day. You should get over it once and for all, to stop guiding your life after it, a voice could be heard from the darkness.

Trebor left the weapons down and moved to a water bucket to cool himself and to remove the stinging smell of sweat.

- It's not a nightmare, it's a memory. There is a big difference between the two, but I am not going to explain it to you, that you never felt anything for anyone. Hate it's a stronger feeling and more truthful than love.

- And more dangerous.

A tall figure came out from the shadow of a tree. It was a girl. Stepped over the salt line, that was forming a big circle around the priest, without interrupting it. Her eyes were pure blue, like the summer sky.

- I bet it takes you a lot of time to place all the protections against the most common creature before you go to sleep.

- What do you want?

- Eager for talk as always I see. I thought that staying by yourself for so long, you would want to have a conversation with a normal person every now and then.

- Since when you are a normal person? What poor soul you stole this time to come here?

The only thing that was giving him away was its shadow that was showing his true appearance, having wings. Demons that were controlling humans could be revealed the same, but only if you had the special power to see it, power that most humans did not possessed.

- Where are you going? Unraed has been seen at north.

- I did not found him in Vileville. Then I got a message from a friend in Norringhton, he has something important for me. He said it's urgent. I am going that way.

- I don't care, turn this moment and get back on Unraed's tracks, he is more important than a word from someone you know.

- No, responded Trebor simple.

- You forget with who you are talking!

- I know very well with what bastard I talk, but you don't impress me.

Trebor had its back at the archangel and one blink later he was standing in front of the priest. He was visible irritated, but this was not scaring Trebor at all.

- You became stupider since I got you out of hell. You had a lot more belief in my words at the beginning.

- That until I figured out that we humans are just pawns for your kind. Angels and demons, all just generals, each with his own army trying to win a war. You want to be listened to? Go to the poor people that raised a golden statue for you and idolize you as a god, something your kind does not deserve.

- I pulled you out of Inferno after one year of torture, that for you meant the equivalent of one hundred human years. I can send you back there in a blink of an eye.

- Here you are wrong. You will not send me back there after you went through so much to get me out, you need me, I am the only one that can send Unraed back where he belongs.

- Why do you hate me so much? tried the archangel to change the way he was approaching the subject.

Trebor lifted his eyes at the archangel. He was not stern anymore. The water bucket was standing between the two. The priest turned the bucket so the archangel can see inscribed on it a circle with a cross in the middle and a different sign at each end of the cross. It was freshly written, with blood. Only than the archangel saw the bleeding wound in priest's hand.

- You bored me, get lost, said simply Trebor and he touched the sign with the wounded palm.

- No, wait ...

That all the archangel had time to say, then he turned into a white smoke that dispersed in the air.

Trebor got up, got dressed, gathered his bed and tools, prepared his horse, than jumped on him. He arranged his hat and started moving at trot, lost in his thoughts.

12


	3. Part Three

**Part Three**

Along the way, everything has been quiet. As he was approaching Norringhton creatures became more rare. Last week, since he entered Arhus province, he met only lost souls, that were haunting the roads, or around the place where they have been killed. He took care of each and every one of them, offering them the piece they needed to let go.

The reason why this land was so peaceful was him, Trebor. Here he spent the longest time in one place, more than in any other place, since he came back from hell. He made a few friends, he even trained a few persons with a tithe of power, to protect the land when he will be gone, and if Matheus called him using the magic pigeon, than it was truly something important.

The magic pigeon was one of the first spells a mage learns at the academy, and every zone had its own mage. The pigeon is not as a real one, its invocated, blue, transparent and lasts until it reaches its destination.

Strange it seemed to him that the archangel Zadkiel, or any other, were not keeping an eye on him from the shadows, he was not feeling they're presence anymore. He was not sure if he should be worried or not, the missing angels after all these years might be a bad sign, but he was trying to not think too much about that. He was trying to figure out the reason why he was called, thinking at the worst things that could have happened.

It took him a month until reaching Norringhton. He stopped very rare just to provide some water. He was eating while riding, but not much. Even when it came to sleeping he did not slept much, he was only dozing in the saddle shortly, enough to keep him awake for a while. The tiredness was gathering inside him and after a month or so, he was enjoying a night and day when he slept more, after that he was returning to his normal dozing moments. The reason why he could not sleep for long it was always the same, the memory that was following him at every step, waking him up at every few minutes.

He could not drown his bitterness in alcohol. He was cursing every second of his life, he was remembering Tina's face all the time when he was not hunting. Revenge was the only thing keeping him alive. He wasn't really taking care of himself. Indifferent if it was raining with the bucket, snowing that you could not see at two steps in front of you, or it was such strong sun that was killing the animals on the field, he was sitting on the saddle, or walking next to his horse. On the road, sweating abundantly, with his head down and eyes closed most of the times. His face was protected by the boron of his dark hat.

His black steed, a pure black steed, was resisting at all the season changes and was resisting a lot of time without water. Trebor was taking care of his steed more than himself, knowing exactly when to take a break, when to feed him and when to give him to drink. It was washing him, cleaning him, brushing him. Sometimes he was talking to him, that horse was the closest thing he had for a friend.

„_If I am not interested in taking care of myself, this does not mean I need to let you forsaken also."_

Trebor was telling his horse many times.

It was late night when Norringhton appeared in his sight, down in the valley. No light was lit in the village, everyone was probably sleeping. He decided to not be the unbearable person that wakes a man from his sweetest dreams, so he hid in the small cave close to the village, on the hill, from where he was protecting the zone in the past. He did not wished to sleep, so he sat down on his bottom after he fed the horse with some eats, waiting for the sunrise.

His eyes were closed and was meditating, so he did not heard when the horse neighed and tried to release himself from the stone where his master tied him. Failing to release himself, he turned with the back at Trebor and started slapping him over the face with his tail. Finally the priest recovered from his meditation. A faded white outline, pulsating and sparkling was around the priest.

- What is it boy, what is going on? A snake scared you again? For an animal so strong and big, you are easy to scare.

Trebor got up and started stroking his mane, trying to calm him down, but he was becoming more and more irritated. Then he understood the reason of the struggle, danger was nearby.

He did not touch the bag because did not knew what weapon to pick, not knowing what creature was approaching. What creature was stupid enough to come after him here, in the heart of Arhus. A shadow landed a few steps in front of him. Trebor released the horse and slapped him to move away.

Three more shadows landed, one at his right, one at his left, and one behind him, on the cave entrance. He was surrounded and he did not knew by what. The one in front of the priest stood up, it was taller with at least two heads than him. Long arms and feet, with a small hump. Looked a little like wolfs, but they were not werewolves. Werewolves were extinct, as far as he knew.

- Since when we've been searching for you, speck of dust. We wasted two weeks waiting for you to come after Unraed, until we decided to search for you. The surprise was big when we found you left for other places, not even close to the place where Unraed resides now. We thought you gave up, that you stopped this insane pursue and you recovered a part of the brain spread all over your room in Inferno. Speaking of that, the table there still has your cadaveric smell. I don't think you are that smart to just give up and accept you fate.

Trebor straightened his back, standing high in front of them.

- So it's like this, Unraed became desperate and sent more acolytes after my ass to hunt me down and kill me.

- Just bored of this cat and mouse games. And we are not even close to those downcast acolytes, we are assassins, called Hiisi.

- I never heard of you, responded Trebor.

- Because good assassins are not supposed to be known or heard of, they supposed to be myths. We were never sent to kill a simple human.

- So I should feel esteemed by this visit? Excuse my lack of enthusiasm, I am kind of tired and it makes it hard to exteriorize my feelings.

Hiisi that talked until now with Trebor, seemed to be the leader of the four. He made a sign with his head and the other three jumped on the priest at the same time. He was expecting a move like this from them, so he jumped one step behind, pulling out of the bag a machete and a bottle of salt. He was more relaxed knowing he has a wall behind him, knowing that he could not be taken by surprise, this way he had more chances of surviving.

Hiisi were toying with him more. It was like a mouse was caught in a corner by more cats. Attacking in turns, hitting with they're claws. He was blocking with the machete. He threw the salt on the ground because it had no effect on them. Looked like they were immune to it, meaning they were not spirits, or creatures with spirits. They were tiring him, so they can all jump on him later, while the fourth, the leader, was watching from behind, smiling.

Time was passing, and the attacks were as often as always. Trebor was blocking them harder. The leader let out a short growl, the three stopped than together jumped on him. This is what the priest was waiting for, he could have kept them far for more time, he learned how to conserve his energy. When the three attacked, he glued the back of his palm to his forehead, with fingers spread and closed his eyes. A blinding light sparkled in the night, blinding the Hiisi. It offered him enough time to slip by them and run, parallel with the village. He did not wanted to lead them there, he did not wanted to drag other poor souls after him to hell, where he was sure he will return.

Hiisi did not completely recovered when they started running after him, guided by his smell. They were moving fast, faster than Trebor was hoping, so it did not took long until they reached him and surrounded him again, at the entrance of a wood.

- Worm, said one of them. Think you can get rid of so easily with a small magic trick?

The four continued toying with him. Trebor was turning fast from one to the other keeping them at bay with the machete. The one standing behind him at that moment, decided attach him and scratch him with his claws on the back, but the hit was repelled by the white contour the priest still had around him.

- Would you look at that, said they're leader. The wretched human knows the old shield invocation. Hope he knows it's not going to protect him at infinite, only at a certain number of hits, depending how strong they are.

Smiled with his entire wolf mouth, showing all his teethes. Struck the priest twice from the side. The shield's visibility dropped a little. Than another hit and another hit. Trebor felt how his shield slowly disappears. Managed to slip between them and tried to run, but the leader bitted his shoulder and threw him in a tree. Hiisi jumped on him, nailing him to the ground. The priest was bleeding abundantly.

- Enough fooling around, you're mine.

Opened his mouth wide, as wide as he could, wide enough for the priest's head to enter in it. Wanted to bite his face, torturing him a little before killing him. All of them were so preoccupied with Trebor that they did not heard the barks of a dog when they were running after him. When to bite his face, a dog jumped with the head in the salient ribs, of the Hiisi leader, throwing him off the priest. When he saw who came in the priest's assistance, the leader let out a elongated and staggering yell, then ran from those places followed by the other three Hiisi.

Cold sweat started forming on Trebor's forehead. He lost the track of time, did not knew since when he was standing there. Lost a lot of blood, the bite was deep. Everything was foggy, did not knew if it was because the loss of powers or because fog really gathered in those places. He blinked. When he opened his eyes he saw people with torches around him, talking. He could not make sense about what they were talking. He recognized the one that was giving orders, tried to call his name, but nothing came out from between his lips. His throat was dry, could not even swallow because of the pain. The dog that saved his life was walking around the peoples legs, looking like he was more standing in their way than helping them. He felt he was picked up for a moment than everything blackened again.

He felt that he is pooled towards conscience, that he is sucked towards reality. The sounds around him were multiplied a few times, ears were hurting but he could not cover them. He did not knew what the sounds are because they were all jumbling. He started moving his head, like than when you want to wake up from a nightmare, trying to open his eyes. He got dizzy so he stopped. Sounds started returning to normal, he could hear voices and a dog's bark. There was movement around him.

Opened his eyes slowly. Everything was foggy. Then things started focalizing. Above him was standing a beardy old man, with a belly and strong metal smell. It was Matheus, smiling from ear to ear. There were a few more old faces that he did not knew. Probably doctors.

- The marmot woke up. Hell nor heaven wants you, I wonder what you did to them? No, don't answer. I rather not know.

- For how long have I been standing here?

- Just two weeks.

- Have you found my mustang?

- Yes, he came galloping into village, I recognized it right away as being yours, but seeing that no one was standing in the saddle a few of us gathered and went at the cave, where you once sit. From there we followed the steps. He is not in the barn, satiated.

The priest got up with the help of the ones around him. He became dizzy, one of the doctors came urgently at him with a clay cup, broken on one side. The liquid had a bitter taste, drying his mouth, but took away the dizziness instantaneously. He felt something hairy at his feet so he looked down. It was the dog that saved him.

- He did not moved from here all this time, said Matheus. It looks like you have a new friend.

- It leaves me cold, give him something to eat because he saved me and that's all. I don't need someone else to drag him after me.

- Same sentimental and loving as old times you remained.

- Yea. Why did you called me?

- Rest, we talk tomorrow. There is time. There is still some time until the sun raises.

- But I just slept for two weeks! More than it was enough. I don't need any other sleep hours.

- Fine, fine. Get ready and come to my house, we will talk there. You have clean clothes on the chair in the corner, hot water in the bowl there, soap and a towel to dry yourself after. It's pretty cold outside and we would not want you to get ill.

Trebor did not answer instead he just made a sign with his head that he understood.

- Just as grouchy you remained, said Matheus slapping him over the shoulder than telling the others to leave the room.

Everyone conformed except the dog that did not wanted to leave the priest's side, standing at his feet.

- Take the dog also!

Matheus stopped before closing the door.

- If you want him out, kick him yourself. It is your friend after all.

- Where is his master!

- He does not have any, he is not a dog from the village! yelled Matheus form behind the closed door.

Trebor looked at the dog that was watching him, with some big innocent eyes.

„_What will I do with you?"_, asked Trebor in his mind.

The dog turned his head on a side and barked once as if hearing him.

- Yes, Yes, I understand.

After he got undressed and checked the bandage from his shoulder, where he was bit by the Hiisi. That bite almost killed him, being poisonous. The doctors tried hard with all kind of remedies to control as best as possible the effects of the venom, the rest standing to the strength and the desire to live of the priest. After he finished he got dressed in a thick pair of pants, and a white pullover, that was stinging him and making him scratch all the time. Got outside and closed the door behind him without letting the dog to leave the house.

Outside was a frosty weather, there was a sharp wind blowing, that made him a little grateful for the clothes. It was a cloudy, the clouds were bloody red, looked like it was about to start snowing. On the muddy and narrow alleys there was no one else, not even in the houses there was nothing burning, except one, the one of blacksmith Matheus, where he stopped. Waited a few moments than he knocked, undecided.

He got invited inside and both of them took place at the only table in the room, where Matheus started pouring wine in two metal glasses.

- What have you been doing, where have you been? I haven't heard anything from you in almost one year, started Matheus.

- I was busy, you know. Hunting is a job that needs me day and night. I can't take breaks.

- How do you stay with the money?

- I still have from the last time you sent. I am not very costly.

- That was three months ago and I sent you for one month just.

Trebor did not answer and Matheus did not insisted on this object.

- Why did you called me? I came from pretty far.

Matheus said nothing, instead he just got up from the table. After he took a good sip from the glass of wine, went through a door that led to his workplace. Trebor was looking at his filled glass, lost in thought, he was thinking at the Hiisi. What could he do with them. Realized that Matheus returned only when he threw something heavy on the table, almost knocking down the bottle of wine.

Did not knew at what he was looking. It was a long piece of metal, round and empty in the middle, with a strange wooden handle.

- What is this supposed to be?

- This is the new invention of the dwarfs from Nidavellir, they call it crackers. I call them weapons with powder.

- And what can these, ..., crackers, do.

- Come with me inside the smithy, I will show it to you. I have a smaller version, pocket version, so to speak, of this weapon.

Both of them got up from the table, the blacksmith took the weapon with him also and they went to the smithy. Matheus truly picked up a smaller version of the weapon Trebor saw earlier, that could easily be held with one hand. Poured inside the barrel some small powder, than he used a stick, pushing a few times down the barrel, setting the powder. Finally showed him a metallic ball that entered in the same place where the powder did. Pointed towards one of his armors and pressed the trigger.

Trebor shuddered at the crack, than he heard the sound of metal hitting another metal and white smoke got out the barrel in front.

- These weapons, can puncture almost any armor, with the exception of artifacts.

Matheus showed him the hole from the armor he just shot, that was one of his best.

- I thought that this weapon could save you sometimes. You can take them from a distance. The rick of getting killed is lowered, because you don't smell they're mouth stench when you try to kill them.

Trebor was pleasantly surprised by what just happened. It would truly make his job more easier.

In the next hours Matheus tried to teach him everything that was more important about these new weapon. How to use it without hurting himself, how to lead it, how to protect it from rust and so on.

Morning came and also the time to leave. He stood for too long far from Unraed and will take some time until he got back on his tracks. Placed in the bag a few boxes of powder for the crackers, balls and everything needed for their cleaning. Two small weapons in the saddle, close to his hands, ready to use at need. And a big one that he placed it on his back, with the help of a riffle sling, it was also loaded. Matheus gave him some more money, enough for the next few weeks, but he was sure that the priest will use them for months. He said the goodbyes and left running, on the same road he came. The dog barked behind him and started running after him, but the horse was faster, leaving him more and more behind.

He reached a dark wood. He took it especially trough there, he knew that he was followed by the Hiisi, real assassins don't give up so easily when they have a job. He was feeling they're eyes on him, he knew they were close, ever since he left Norringhton. He stopped in a place where there was more light, he dismounted, stroking the horse and giving him some water to drink, waiting. He was careful at every move. He placed the bag on the ground, opened, in case he needed more munitions, but he got out a bottle of water for himself from there, to not give them any reason to suspect him.

Heard a branch crack behind him, he snatched a hand weapon, turned and shoot. The bullet hit a Hiisi in the forehead. He jumped towards the priest, being caught in the air, with mouth open, at short distance from him. Hiisi fell at his feet, dead. He grabbed the bigger gun resting on his back, preparing for the rest, while moving to the other side of the horse to use the other hand gun.

A wolf cry lifted form between the trees, he did not knew exactly from where because of the echo, sound ricocheting from tree to tree.

Sound of leaves attracted his attention behind him. He turned but this Hiisi was closer, managing to kick Trebor at the ground. While he was falling, Trebor, having the gun pointed towards the creature's belly, pressed the trigger. The crack was louder than expected because of the echo. The power of the weapon almost cut in half the creature. The priest got out from under her fast, letting her to struggle in pain. The creature was making some wounded dog sounds, but more awful, probably asking for help from the others.

He had two more to kill and two more loaded bullets, but the last fire shot left him a little deaf. His ears were ringing, barely hearing anything. The third Hiisi entered in him with the shoulder throwing him in a tree. The priest recovered fast and realized he dropped the gun near the horse that was running away now. The Hiisi was running towards him. Trebor bent down and jumped under the creatures arm when it reached near him trying to hit with the claws, wanting to decapitate him but just leaving a deep mark in the tree trunk. The creature jumped in front of him. The priest touched his chest and shocked him with a white light, paralyzing it shortly, but enough to get past it, pick the gun up and blow his brains out.

Turned at the bag and started getting out the things he needed to load the small gun standing on the ground next to it, but there was the leader standing. He was angry, cold be seen on its face and was breathing abrupt.

- A worm like you killed three of my brothers? You will pay for that.

Placed the right hand on the ground letting out a scream and darted towards Trebor that rolled from his way. Hiisi hit the ground where the priest just was, entering with the fist all the way up to his elbow in the e ground.

Followed by successive hits, Trebor was dodging as best as he could from the creature's claws and the mouth that was trying all the time to bite him or to scratch him at least, being positive that the venom would kill him this time. Trebor was getting hit, in the stomach, a back of the palm, painful, breaking his mouth and nose, bruising him, but he was not touched by anything sharp by now.

The priest got tired, he was feeling his legs heavy, his moves were slowing down, but it was still holding up. He did not wanted to lower his reaction time, being sure that it could be fatal. Tried paralyzing him a few times, but Hiisi learned from his brother and avoided that, same with other of the priest's attacks.

Moving all the time and avoiding the creature's hits he did not observed a lump of wood behind him, he tripped and fell on his back. On the moment it saved his life because Hiisi missed his head with little, he felt how the top of his hair is cut by the claws. He was crawling on the ground using his hands and feet, but keeping his eyes on the creature. It stepped strongly on the lump breaking it in two, and lifted its claws for the final hit.

The dog, that saved him last time also from the same creature, jumped at her neck unbalancing her and throwing her on the ground. This time the Hiisi did not ran he just started fighting with the dog. He did not wanted to let the priest escape again. They were rolling, they were biting, they were scratching each other.

Trebor felt the opportunity, ran at the bag and got out what he needed to load the gun. Ran back to the place where the fight between the dog and Hiisi was still happening. Pointed at her head and screamed her name attracting her attention than squeezed the trigger. The ball entered through her eye and made a huge exiting hole at the back of her head.

The dog appeared from behind the trees, yelping slightly and limping. His right leg from front as missing, he was full of bites, and blood and he had one eye missing. Something in Trebor shuddered at that view. He came beside the dog, dropping on one knee and touching him on the head. The dog licked his face a few times and tried to move his tail happily, but stopped because of the pain.

- You saved my life again. And I treated you like a stranger. It was not fair from my side. If I would have taken you with me we would have not reached this situation, I would have found ways to take care of you.

The dog was staring into his eyes. You could see he was happy that he saved his master.

Trebor knew he was unable to do anything in this situation. No healing spell could save him now. He still used his best one to take away some of the pain at least. He stood there, holding the dog in his arms and slowly stroking him until he stopped breathing. Meanwhile the horse came back.

He stood with the dog in his arms for a long time after he died. He was feeling something, an excruciating pain. It's been years since he fell something like that and he saw children maimed by demons, destroyed families, pain and human helplessness. But nothing affected him as much as this supreme sacrifice.

He slowly got up still holding the dog in his arms. He went to the place where the rays of light were making a circle on the ground. He slowly left it down, then grabbed a shovel and started digging a hole, where he placed the dog. Said a few prayers for him, treating him as if he was a human. He rested on the shovel a while longer. Feeling something warm dropping on his face, at first he thought it was sweat. But then he realized, it was a tear. The dog managed to make him cry. The hate in him grew. Dropped in his knees, letting out a yell as loud as he could scaring the birds in the trees and started sobbing next to the grave of the one that saved his life two times.

13


	4. Part Four

**Part Four**

Each step made on the flagstone, it was as if he was stepping on hot coal. But this was not stopping him, it was not inconveniencing him, having the same hastened step towards the burning church. He was tired, his clothes were ravaged, but he did not had in mind to stop now when it had him so close. Everywhere around him there were bodies lying on the pavement. soldiers, village people, man, women, young people, but no kid under fourteen years old. He had a feeling why, a feeling that was giving him the chills.

The part that was touching the pavement, of the ones dead, was sizzling like the meat in a pan. The whole pavement was scorching in a wide area. The smell of burn meat was strong, but not disgusting.

Reaching the gates of the church, that was smoke and pulsating a red light, like the one met in the night when Tina and him died. He broke open the door with his right foot, and moved out of the way fast because a trident past at a small distance from him. If he stood still it would have pierced him.

- Unraed, only with this you were expecting me? It's way too easy for me.

The demon did not responded. Trebor tried to watch closely from behind the corner, to see what was going on inside and who threw the trident. He saw two small feet, wearing simple sandals, the rest of the body being hidden by the chairs. She was dead. More he could see from the nave more the hair on his back raised. Small bodies, white, thrown everyone like rugs, in the most grotesque positions. All the kids were there. His eyes stooped on the altar where Unraed just stabbed another sleeping kid in the chest, lifted his hands, mumbled something than grabbed the kid by the hair and threw him down from the altar, continuing the incantation. Behind the altar a hole was opening that was getting wider with each sacrifice made. A red light was emanating from it and sharp screams could be heard, of the demons that were preparing to reach the surface. He needed to be stopped and fast.

Wanted to get out from behind the door he was hiding, when a red hand, thick and a little hairy crashes trough the wall he was lining on, nailing him to the wall trying to squash him. It would have succeeded if Trebor would have not grabbed the demon's hand, with both of his, citing a incantation in his mind fast. His hand burst in a white flame, burning the demon that let out a thick yell and withdrawing his hand. The priest took off from the wall, at the right time to avoid the colossus that smashed through it.

He was not expecting at something so big. He was probably sitting down when he tried to kill him.

The demon must have had somewhere at three meters. Extremely built. Red eyes, two short horns on the forehead, pointing up. The armor that was covering his shoulders, lower arm, a part of his chest and leg was formed from skulls and bones. He had two knees, one in the front and one in the back, near his ankle.

"_So this is the angel attacking demon that the archangel told me about? I think he forgot to tell me about his size."_

- What happened old friend, you don't recognize me with my new appearance?

Trebor was thinking from where to take this one. Was it a demon from the past that he sent back to hell and managed to escape again?

- A, yes, of course. You don't remember. Zadkiel was careful enough to block your memories of what happened there. No problem, it will be my pleasure to tell you who I am.

Zadkiel did not block anything but he had a different appearance in Inferno, but now he remembered everything. The priest jumped away from the giant's path that rushed towards him and trying to hit him with the fist but it only left a hole in the ground.

- It's me, Belenos, said the demon trying to turn towards the priest.

Trebor did not sketched any move that he remembered this demon.

- I am the one that tortured Tina in the room next to you. That when I was getting bored of torturing you. How romantic to be tortured romantic. Somebody down there really loves you, said the demon in mockery. I got promoted.

He jumped at the priest again, thinking that this news will attract his attention for a while, but it wasn't so. Trebor dodged this time also. The demon was watching him surprised. No sign that he would be affected by the things heard. No muscle on his face throbbed. Remained as inexpressive and quiet.

- Didn't you hear what I said? Or you became deaf from all the time spent in Inferno!

- I will kill you in one move, instead of just sending you back to hell.

The demon did not knew if Trebor was joking, because what he was saying it was absurd and impossible. The priest had his head slightly turned on one side, it was as serious as before. An imperceptible smile appeared on the side of his mouth, a smile that the demon caught. Belenos started a roar of laughing. Closed his eyes while he was laughing. That was all Trebor waited for, that rushed like an arrow toward the demon. Jumped on his back cutting his hand in the tip of the horn and grabbed his forehead. The demon tried to get rid of it, but could not grab it.

- You wretched human! Get of me!

But the priest was holding tight. He started mumbling a incantation. The demon began yelling because of pain. Trebor was burning the skin on his forehead, so his blood will enter in the demon and kill it.

A few moments later Trebor jumped of the demon leaving him indolent. Belenos fell on his knee, lifting his look one last time towards the priest that was moving towards the church entrance.

- No! yelled the demon. I will not accept to die. Not now when I was promo...

Belenos did not managed to finish his sentence. A yellow flame completely covered him transforming him into dust.

- Unraed! You're mine now!

Trebor yelled while running with the hatched in one hand the bottle of salt in the other, towards the demon. He dipped in passing the machete blade in the bowl with holy water placed at the entrance in the church. Meanwhile Unraed sacrificed three more kids. Trebor jumped at the demon when he reached a few steps away, decided to stab him in the back. Unraed turned pointing his left hand at the priest. Shot a fire ball right in the priest's chest, throwing him through a pillar.

- Wretched priest, you have the courage to defy me? To interrupt me from the incantation? Who do you think you are?

- I am the one that will end your supremacy over that part of the hell.

Unraed smiled amused at the priest's joke. Trebor smiled also after he got up from under the dirt pile.

- Yeah, that's what your friend said earlier and now he's dead.

The demon's smile disappeared as if washed away with a sponge.

- You have no idea what you got yourself into boy. I am your biggest nightmare and I will show it to you. You will regret stepping in my way. What you felt in hell is nothing compared to what I will to you now and after I will kill you. Again.

- You don't have the slightest idea how my biggest nightmare is!

Opened with one hand the cap of the salt bottle and poured it on both sides of the machete, melting on the blade still wet.

- Nice move, I was not expecting you to be aware of what is going on around you.

- That is your problem, you underestimate me boy.

- It seems so. I'll make sure to not repeat the mistake.

Unraed started laughing.

- You really are convinced that you can defeat me! Woaw, I really admire your positive thinking. It almost makes me not wanting to kill you. almost.

- I am flattered by your kindness. Today you will die. Hope you lived your life at the fullest, because it will suddenly end.

- I am sure that Zadkiel warned you that if you kill me you will start a war after which the humans of this lands will end up extremely siphoned.

- Not just once. Honestly, I don't give two zilings on the rest of the world. I just to see you dead. What will be after, I will deal with it at that moment.

The priest stepped slowly towards the alter, but keeping his distance from the demon. He stopped when he had a direct and empty road to the demon. He was looking around at the small bodies. He wanted to feel pity, to feel something, pain, one tear to shed. Anything for these poor souls that were born in the wrong place, but nothing. All he could feel was the adrenaline flowing through his veins and making his heart beat harder. The mountain of hate gathered alone the years during the search for this demon, was not reviling itself. He felt how he loses control of his body and starts to shake because of the anger. All his desire for revenge was for Tina, not at all for killing him.

For a fraction of a moment, around Trebor pulsated a thin light. If he would have blinked, Unraed wouldn't have seen it. Waves of white energy were approaching the priest from nowhere. Something was happening with him. This something was frightening the demon that decided to not let him gather all that energy. He threw a fire ball that exploded at impact. A cloud of smoke covered everything around Trebor.

Unraed started laughing believing that he killed him. When the smoke dispersed, Trebor was still on his feet and a transparent shield pulsating around him. He was not even touched by Unraed's magic.

The left fist was white. Same the right one along with the machete he was holding.

- No, it can't be!

Unraed could barely speak. He was paralyzed with fear. He could not understand how, him, one of the strongest demons shake in front of a priest. But he wasn't only a priest. This priest managed to enter in divine trance.

Without saying anything and without looking at the demon, because he was holding his head down, Trebor threw the machete. Unraed managed at the last moment to dodge it, leaning on one side. The machete struck deep into the wall. The priest sprang towards the demon hitting him with the fist in the stomach, and with the other hand grabbing the cross sitting around his neck. Unraed was thrown outside trough the wall.

Trebor pointed the cross at the hole opened by the demon and started whispering a incantation in an unknown language. Being again the priest's hands the cross was pulsating again white light. Slowly the hole to Inferno closed. The screams coming from the demon's stopped. Looked around, just one little girl and boy were still alive. They were holding each other and were scared to death. A nightmare that will probably haunt them forever. Trebor gently touched they're heads, covering them in a white aura.

- This shield will protect you from the inferno outside these walls, said the priest.

The girl looked at him with some big round eyes filled with tears that remembered him of Tina's look.

- Run, you are not safe here. Get out of town.

Watched after the kids until they got out the church. From there on it was up to them to take care of themselves. Tied the cross around his neck.

Pieces of the ceiling were falling all around him. Got out through the hole in wall Unraed made earlier, before he got buried alive by the flaming church. He recovered the hatched from the wall before exiting.

Unraed was sitting on his knees in the grass. Spike were growing on his spine, and his face was wider and sharper. Same as Tina's was, in the night they died.

- So. The monster is finally showing his true self.

- It is the second possessed body, perfect for me, that you ruin it. You start to make a bad habit from it, said Unraed with a deeper voice than before.

- I will be more gentle from now on, said the priest with sarcasm.

- Don't bother. It's too late.

The demon jumped at the priest hitting with his claws. Trebor was blocking everything with the machete. Sparks were emerging with each blow.

- For a demon, a malefic creature, you are not able to recognize arrogance at a person, managed the priest to speak between the hits.

Trebor observed the moment and took advantage of it, applying a fist in the jaw, throwing him pretty far. The demon twisted in the air and landed on four legs. Holding the place where he was hit, and his eyes looked even more red now, probably because of the anger. The skin was burned in the place he was hit, having the priest's handprint.

The demon rushed at the priest. The hits were dropping constantly from both sides. The demon tripped Trebor than grabbed his leg while still in air, twisting him a few times and throwing him into the wall. A normal human would have been squashed by the power he was thrown with, but not the priest. Unraed became more irritated that he could not kill this human.

- Why won't you die already?!

- I am too stupid to just fall flat and simply give up at everything or to kill myself.

Spited blood while getting up.

- That's all you can grandpa? You stood a little too much down there, torturing helpless souls. You've lost your touch.

The demon enraged and ran towards Trebor like an arrow, passing with him through the corner of the wall. Unraed stayed on top of the priest a few moments, than rolled off him. He was amazed. Glimpsed at his chest. Trebor's machete was stuck between his ribs, close to the heart. The wound was smoking, was burning because of the holy water and salt on the blade.

Trebor rolled away from the demon, leaning on the wall of the church. He was trying to heal the worst wounds.

Unraed slowly pulled put the machete. Growled of pain and was talking in demon's tongue. More likely curses pointed towards the priest.

- That wound will not stop bleeding anytime soon.

The demon started laughing.

- I know that very well boy. But until I will die from this wound, will have plenty of time to kill you.

Unraed grabbed the priest by his neck, starting to squeeze. Trebor touched with his palm the demon's forehead and started the exorcism.

The demon gave up first. Started screaming. His head was moving fast left and right, with interruptions. In the short moments his face was stopping, the true face of the demon, was trying to detach from the one of the human he was controlling.

Unraed was backing out. His screams were changing, from thick to thin and other way around. The sounds were scaring. Trebor managed to turn him with the back at the wall. The demon fell on his knees, than the priest stopped his exorcism.

- It's time I get my revenge.

Slowly he turned towards the machete, lifting it from the ground. He was convinced that Unraed was not able to do anything to protect himself. He stopped in front of a defeated demon that was shaking all the time.

He was stalling, delaying the moment of revenge because he was enjoying the sensation. Wanted to abuse it as much as possible. It was warming him, he was enjoying seeing him on his knees, in terrible pain of the one who destroyed his life. He could finally feel happiness, after so many years of pain and loneliness, something was truly provoking him moments of joy. He adored the sensation.

- If you kill me, than your life would not mean anything anymore, Unraed managed to say.

He used the demon's tongue, but Trebor understood him. He had plenty of time down there to learn some.

- Not being me anymore, after who to run. Who to make you feel alive. To keep the flame of hatred and revenge lid up inside you. Than you won't feel anything anymore, everything will die inside and you will have absolutely no reason to live. Killing me, you will die also.

Trebor had his machete above his head ready to strike, but listened to the demon.

"_He is right"_, Trebor talked in his mind, lowering his arm._ "Getting my revenge now, ..., my purpose to live ends. I won't have for what to live anymore. The last slice of humanity will die in me at the same time with him. Do I really want this? But I can't let him go. He is the one that killed my Tina. The woman with who I supposed to spend the rest of my life with."_

The face of the nordic princess with a perfect smile appeared in front of his eyes. His eyes filled with tears knowing that he will never see that warm smile again, that was turning him insane every time.

- Not even until today you did not understood that I have no life without her?! I died the same day you killed her! Trebor yelled at the demon. I was raised from the dead, but I have no soul, continued the priest a little softer. With or without this pursue, there is nothing left for me on these cursed lands. It's over.

Lifted his hand again prepared to decapitate the demon. This one was not saying anything anymore. He knew it was useless. The decision has been taken. At least this move from the priest will bring a long time darkness and war . Possibly forever. And he was kind of enjoying that idea, but it was making him sad on the other hand, because he will not be a part of that war.

The priest's hand started dropping towards the demons neck, when a thunder struck the earth, between the two. Trebor has been thrown in a tree. He dropped the machete. Did not managed to see where. He was giddy so he shook his head a few times. When he lifted his look, at two steps in front of him, there was a black man standing, dressed in white. Middle age, strong constitution, more likely a farmer.

- Unfortunately I can't let you do that, Trebor.

"_Zadkiel."_

- Exactly Trebor, it's me, Zadkiel.

The priest forgot that angels can read his mind. The cross was protecting him only against the undead, demons and other creatures of the night, but not against angels.

Trebor tried to get up but he couldn't. His legs were not listening to him, he could not move them.

- Au, I am so sorry Trebor. I intervened a little to brutal for you it seems. I fractured your spine. You are paralyzed from the waist down. But you have to understand me, I was in a time crisis. One second later and you would have brought apocalypse on these lands.

Desperation started to hold the priest. Started believing that the demon might escape. Could not accept that the archangel, same one that got him out of hell, could do something like this to him. He felt himself overgrown with hatred again. Was trying with all his powers to get up. Started crawling towards the archangel trying to grab him by his feet, but he made two steps behind.

- How could you do something like this to me?

- I am sorry my friend, but I warned you repeatedly that you cannot kill him. Just exorcise him. The entire breathing creatures of this place are more important than the revenge of one human.

- No! No! I was so close. You can't do something like this me! I don't give a crap about the rest of beings from this planet!

A tear rolled on Trebor's cheek while he was crawling toward the archangel.

- Of. So much hate. So much desperation in one soul. It's not healthy. You should really change your life style.

Between the archangel's legs, Trebor saw the demon how he gets up from his knees and moving away slowly, leaning on the only wall of the church that remained standing.

- No! No! No, no, no, no! Leaves. Unraed. Leaves. Stop him. Don't let him get away.

What Trebor what saying did not had a lot of meaning for the archangel until he looked back.

- You mean Unraed. Yes, I healed him a little so he can leave. You are too stubborn sometimes to see the bigger picture of things.

- But, why do you let him leave? Why don't you send him back to hell?

- For the same reason I can't let you kill him. If I intervene, even if it is for sending him back from where he came, I will start the apocalypse. You see, angels and demons have a pact. We don't directly intervene in each other's business. Everyone with his own ship, in this way there is peace.

- Peace? With all the crap I saw? That I lived. Creatures killed, demons exorcised. The pain provoked by the demons. Brain washing by the angels with that religious fanaticism extremely contagious.

- Faith is not a disease.

- No, it's not. But it spreads easily between humans and makes them ready to kill for it.

The archangel moved his head in disappointment.

- There is no escape for you. That hate that burns in your soul it will consume you one day.

- It does not have what to burn anymore. Everything inside me it's ash.

A few moments of silence followed.

- Now heal me so I can deal with Unraed before he escapes.

- I can't do that.

- I will send him back to hell. I will not kill him.

The archangel was watching him carefully.

- I can't do that. I can't trust you right now. You desire the death of that demon way too much.

- I have a reason why to desire it!

- Here is what we are going to do. I will teleport you far away from here, fully healed. You will have to start all over searching for him. This time I hope that the search will make you understand why you can't kill him. I hope you will get over the wish of revenge.

- Never, whispered Trebor between tight teethes. Either I will die, or he dies.

- We will see about that, answered the angel after a long groan.

Zadkiel touched the priest's forehead with the middle and pointing finger.

- See you later.

The archangel suddenly disappeared from Trebor's view. The entire image in front of him disappeared. The church ruined by fire, garden he was standing in, everything has been changed with a hill with the grass cut, and down in the valley a village could be seen. Managed to get up on his feet without any problem.

"_Where the hell did he sent me?"_

Started moving towards the village. He stopped before the entrance to the village and read the welcoming board.

"_Norringhton, Arhus land. Welcome. ... Arhus, nice. At the other end of the human land. Perfect. You are going to pay for this Zadkiel."_

- Do you hear me Zadkiel? You are going to pay for this.

Although he whispered the last words, he was sure that the archangel heard them.

12


	5. Part Five

**Part Five**

Again Trebor jumped out of bed, sweaty, haunted by the same and same dream, in which him and his lover, the woman next to who had all the future planed, died. It was still night. He did not knew how much he slept, but he was sure that he did not slept too much. He was more tired than when he got into bed. Eyes were stinging horribly. He did not wanted to look into the mirror. He didn't do that in a very long time. He was scared of what he could have seen. Set down at the edge of the bed and slammed his head in his palms. That's what he was doing every time he had that dream and after taking that position he continued to think about Tina. He could not get her out of her mind.

"_A rose of a girl. A perfect smile that could melt even the most frozen hearts. Two big eyes, round, like two pieces of emerald, perfectly burnished, as iris. They were making you to always say the truth, when they were fixating you. I can't believe what I have done to you. If you wouldn't have met me you would still be alive. At the side of someone that would have loved you a lot and that could have protected you from those damn creatures. Maybe if I wouldn't have forgotten who I am, maybe if I wouldn't have forgotten about the powers that I have, I would have been prepared for that day. Every day I would have been prepared for that day and I could have saved you. I am sure._"

He was feeling directly responsible for what happened with Tina. He was imagining all kind of scenarios, how he was saving her from the demon's claws. Managing to live happily until they got old, just how they talked about it sometimes at night. With two kids. First, a boy. Named Simon that would have become a brave and known knight. She chose the name, he agreed with it, he was accepting all of her desires because he was loving her so much. The second kid she wanted to be a girl, but she did not told him the name. She wanted that to be her little secret, until they're little girl was born. But secret remained forever.

All of these thought and memories were not good for him. They were deluding and grieving him more and more until he started feeling like his head would explode. Too many voices were talking to him at the same time, but all of those voices were his own and they were unfolding in his head. Blaming him, forgiving him, arguing with him, consoling him, hurting him, he was feeling that he loses his mind. Not a few times he would see Tina when holding his eyes closed, but she was dead and pointing her finger at him. That image was more dreadful than any other creature he faced. He was praying every day that Unraed would not think of waking her from the grave, because he wouldn't be that strong to put her back there.

The despondency and agony that was heaving his heart and keeping him far from the human, was transforming into blind hate. Than he was jumping out of bed, with fists clench and hitting the walls, if he was in an inn. If he was on the road, was hitting the trees with fists and feet, rocks and everything that could be hit, until he was breaking his fists. He was letting them heal by themselves, without help from his divine powers. This was one of the punishments that he was applying on himself constantly.

His thought were interrupted before they could transform in the same auto mutilation that he was reaching many times to calm himself down. Someone knocked at his door. At first he thought it was a drunk man that was not sure that he knock at the door of the prostitute he paid for a round. The priest did not responded to the knock. Hoping that the drunk is going to leave if he sees he gets no answer.

- Mister priest?

A voice was whispering from behind the door. A thin voice but not of a woman.

- Are you awake mister priest? We are in need of you.

Even if he had a feeling that he will regret the next gesture, Trebor decided to answer.

- Yes, it is some time since I'm awake.

He slowly got up from the bed. Bored of all and everything. He was not even in the mood to live, but his nature as a priest was pushing him towards helping people at need. If the motive was framing inside his working norm.

He opened the door enough to see with only one eye. He had a gun prepared in the other hand in case it was a trap. He recognized the small creature standing outside his door. It was dwarf, he did not remembered his name. He's been downstairs in the inn same time as the priest and remembered him because he had a noisy voice and was talking about some creatures from this village. Came not long ago and that were stealing humans from dark alleys. The bodies of the stolen ones appearing a few days later shred and with limbs and pieces of meat missing.

Trebor did not believed the story, because he did not found one track to make it real. And a creature, indifferently which one, if he met it once more in the past or not, it leaves marks. Track or smell of sulfur if it was a demon. Hearts pulled out of the chest, while the victim was still alive and claw cuts, if they were werewolves. Two small dots, indifferent the location on the body if it was a vrykolakas, and the examples can continue.

- What do you want?

- O …, o …, one more victim appeared, said the dwarf stuttering. A prostitute that disappeared three days ago, right from the place where she was found.

- Okay. And what exactly do you want from me?

- To come and see what creature, more exactly, can let behind the marks on the body. And to bless her.

A few moments of silence past.

- Do I really have to?

The dwarf did not knew how to take the question. As something serious or as a joke that he supposed to laugh at. If it was a joke, than the priest had a macabre sense of humor, making jokes about the poor girl at moments after she was found dead. Trebor sighed once shortly than closed the door, taking the dwarf by surprise again. Did not knew how to take this one either. To leave or to stay? Would the priest come out? He will have to come out eventually, but the dwarf needed him now. Touched the door with his ear trying to hear what was going on inside. Maybe the priest was changing in his clothes? Door opened when the dwarf touched it with his ear. Trebor was standing in the frame.

- Shall we go?

That was all he asked and that was all that the dwarf needed. Rushed towards the murder place, with the priest on his trails. Three steps of the dwarf, were equal to one of Trebor's. The priest was moving slowly while the little man was almost running.

They did not had much to walk. The body was placed on an alley next to the inn. More people had gathered around it, just looking, but not touching. They were probably waiting for the priest. Trebor realized that the body was placed right under his window.

The priest looked at the body carefully, trying to understand what could make such a mess. The body was in a contorted position, the head, with eyes still open were pointing nowhere. Fear and terror could be read in them.

"_Poor woman, she must have lived some terrifying moments right before she died. She was still alive while living all these. I will have to mutilate her a little also. Her death was too marking and she could become a banshee. Fairy of death that lured her victims, mesmerizing them with they're songs and her voice, until they came to her, than killing them slowly through torture._"

He said to the dwarf to go up to his room and bring some holy water, salt, gasoline and matches. He did not asked for what and started running to satisfy the priest.

The priest continued to watch the body. Tip of the nose has been cut off, cheeks were missing, like bit off. Breasts were missing also and the chest was open. Trebor was sure that there were some organs missing.

"_Hmm, strange. The cut on the chest is smooth, straight line, made with a sharp object, a knife and not by claws or something animal._"

Muscles from both arms were missing, and skin was hanging like a rag on the fence. The bottom was missing also. Legs were amputated from the hip. It had the same clean cut, and the wound has been seared.

"_Probably it was started with the legs, and they seared the wound to keep the victim alive for the rest of the operations._"

Base of the foot and tibia were thrown randomly next to the body. It was a macabre view.

Not one of the people gathered there had anything to object when the priest asked them to carry her to the cemetery for a burial.

The dwarf reached them from behind with the things asked by the priest. The only moments when he shut up with the questions asked about what could have happened with the prostitute was when the priest forgave her sins and burned her before throwing earth on top.

During the entire way back to the inn, the dwarf continued with the questions. Trebor was responding simply with yes, no or I don't know, visible irritated by the dwarf's questions and the fact that he could not realize how annoying he could be. The priest started repeating in his head "_Come on already!_", wishing to reach the inn faster to he can get away from his follower. Before he will break out at him in some way. He always felt remorse after insulting a harmless person. Lived for too long in loneliness, he was aware of this fact but there was nothing that could be done about it now.

The dwarf tried to follow the priest to his room but Trebor lied that he wanted to continue his sleep that has been prematurely interrupted. He was not able to fall back to sleep even if he wished to, but at least now he had something to keep his mind busy with. He had something that would make him forget about Tina for a short time.

Only when he was hunting things that did not had direct link to Unraed, like the one at that moment, he was forgetting about the ghosts that were haunting his head. Those ghosts were the only one that he could never defeat.

Laid in bed trying to find an explanation for these attacks, but he couldn't find anything. No creature known by him was able to do that.

Night came when the priest interrupted his thoughts. He was extremely hungry, because he did not ate in two days. Three knocks in the door interrupted him from the way to his food placed in his bag. He thought it was the dwarf again that knocked thirteen times during the day.

„_Enough. If I don't tell him to go to hell and leave me alone, I will never get rid of him. He will feel insulted, but he will get over it._"

Brutally opened the door, prepared to yell at the dwarf, but words stopped in his throat. In front of him it was not the dwarf but a huge man. Almost as huge as the door. Did not got to answer what he wants, when the giant knocked him out with a fist in the face.

Slowly he recovered and realized he was closed in a cage. Face was swollen and hurting him. In a corner of the cage there was a bowl of water, a piece of bread and some meat. He was starving so ate everything fast. He was in some kind of a prison, the only source of light was a torch, above his cage, that was about to pass away.

He did not knew for how long he was sitting there in darkness. Days probably. No sound besides the rats that were swarming around the cage.

"_Where the hell are the angels when you actually need them?_"

Believed that there he will meet his end. He was not able to use his powers, because he was to faint. Started hearing a distant voice. At first he thought that it's just his mind feinting. But standing in complete quiet all this time, the sense sharpened. It was truly a woman's voice he could hear. Was coming from above. He sharpened his hearing even more to understand what she was talking.

- Those who alienate our signs, we will throw them into fire soon. So until they're skin will be completely burned. Than we will change it with a new skin, to taste again from the penalty. Because God is in whole, absolute power. And he who will want to choose another religion besides the one of God, his religion will not be accepted. And here and in the life after, he will remain a failure.

After these words said with energy a chorus of approval could be heard. Seemed a religious service. Continued listening to bits of the service. After a while silence overtook everything again. He tried for a while to catch at least a word, a sound, but nothing. Everything became as silent as before.

This loneliness would drive crazy a normal person, but not Trebor that was actually living in loneliness. While others would have started yelling after help or one humanly noise, the priest was just sitting in one corner quietly. Was thinking about Tina of course and was trying to pass over the hunger that was making a lot of noise in his stomach. But the most dangerous was the thirst that dried his neck, having the mouth drier than a desert.

Heard a door opening and opened his eyes to see who was coming, but he covered them with the hands fast. The torch of the person that entered first was burning his eyes that got used with the darkness.

- This one did not started screaming like the others.

It was clearly that there was at least one more person in the room.

- Maybe because he ate his tongue from desperation and hunger, a woman's voice could be heard.

- I hope so, the first voice could be heard again. I am not in the mood to hear his moans while sacrificing him.

"_They want to sacrifice me? Perfect. Now would be the moment to become more perspicacious so I can get out of here. Angels will not help me with this it seems_."

- God will give us eternal life for sacrificing a false prophet. That uses blasphemies to spread lies and make the world believe in a wax god. Tomorrow morning we will start. Until than I will make the preparations. Don't forget, the heart is mine.

Woman was the one that talked than the sound made by her heels turning and how she steps out of the room follower by those who entered, closing the door behind them.

"_Even more perfect, they are also cannibals. It was not enough the fact that they are religious psychopaths_._ I swear I cannot understand humanity. How can the most of them be so miscreant. Demons I understand, from where they have so much hate. Never being alive, not having a human life, they want to take revenge on us, those who live. I am pretty sure that these guys are to blame for the murders that were going on lately around here, the ones the dwarf talked about._"

Time was passing without finding any solution towards escape. He would have no chance while he was locked in that cage so he decided to wait until they would come for him. What to him it seemed to be a night and a day of waiting, in reality there was not even one night.

When he heard steps behind the door, Trebor laid down, faking his faint.

- You think he died?

Asked one of those who entered in the jail.

- Let's hope not. Open the door.

- Diana would not like it if he is dead.

- Shut up and stop foreboding. Open that damn door already.

Tinkling of keys could be heard than the lock from the cage has been opened with a metallic screech. Trebor has been grabbed by the feet and dragged outside the cage where they dropped some water on his lips. Exactly what he needed. Started feeling how a part of his powers were returning. He was thrown on the shoulder of one of the two that came after him and carried up to the sacrificing shrine.

- How much do you bet on how long until he will scream?

- At how weak he is, it will take some time until he will feel the pain. I bet one hundred that he will yell after the knife will enter in him a quarter, said the one that was caring him brutally throwing him on a wooden table in a cross form.

- He has the face of a coward, I say he will yell when he will see the knife.

- Again you are placing bets? How many times do I have to repeat to you that what we do is not entertainment, a female voice could be heard.

Trebor recognized the voice, it was the woman that came down to him a while ago.

The two giants stood there embarrassed, but with the bet still available.

- We will keep one extra day of fasting, so God can forgive us for the bet we just made, mother.

- Two days.

Trebor was still pretending passed out. He was not risking opening his eyes. He could hear thin sounds of metal, probably tools they were about to use on him.

- You can open your eyes, I know you did not faint.

The priest felt how blood rushes to his face.

"_How does she know that I was not asleep?_".

- What you thought to be some drops of water, actually it was a special elixir for the beginning of the ceremony. It is made in big part from rare plants that can be found only in the Bloody Desert and a few more things that are not important right now. Anyhow, the effect is energizing. Why do you think that a part of your powers returned almost instantly.

He felt ashamed of his naivety. There was no point in continuing the charade, so he woke up and looked around.

Nothing special besides the crack in the wall in a cross form. Ray of light passing through it was the dimension of the table he was sitting on. And the light was almost on top of the table. Two bold hulks were standing in a corner of the room without minding the priest.

A few steps in front of him there were a brunette woman standing, pretty tall and thin, with the back at him. She was playing with some metal tools that were on the table in front of her. She turned towards him.

- How old do you think I am?

Trebor looked at her, she was young, even attractive.

- Between twenty-five and thirty.

- Yeah, just as I thought, it's the perfect moment for a sacrifice. Actually I have two hundred and forty-four.

Trebor smiled with his entire mouth, believing that the woman jokes.

- Eating fresh hearts that are still beating, full of life, I become younger. I make myself younger with a few years after each sacrifice and with the help of Almighty from above, I keep myself forever young.

Priest's smile washed away from his face.

"_She's insane._"

- And, how did you get your hands on the secret of immortality?

- An angel showed it to me.

- An angel?

- Yes, an angel, answered the woman turning her back at him again and continuing to make perfect order between the torture tools.

Even if the angels were egoists, narcissist and eccentrics, Trebor did not believe that an angel was behind all this. He waited for the woman to continue her story, how she got possession of this secret, but since she stopped talking he decided to ask.

- And how did you got your hand on this, recipe?

- It does not matter.

This answer reminded him on Tina that was answering like this every time she was upset.

- If I am going to die soon anyway, grant me one last wish.

The woman stopped from her work and turned towards the priest. Looked at the table than said.

- Okay, it seems that it will take at least half more hour until the light will cover the table at perfection and that's how long you have to live.

The woman jumped next to him on the table and started telling her story.

- I had ninety-one when it happened. I lived my entire life alone, I never had a man or kids. I could barely live from day to day from the pity of the younger peasants that had the powers to work the lands in the village. Twenty years I prayed at a god that proved to be a farce. I prayed to give me one more chance, to give me powers to help myself, to not wait for the mercy of other people. Of course nothing happened because the god that was worshiped in that zone was invented. But one night while I was on my dying bed, more dead than alive, a strong wind took away all the light from my room and a shadow appeared next to my bed.

Then I realized that even the big guys got close to the table, observing on their faces that they were tasting at maximum the words of their mother.

- At first I thought that it was a neighbor that came to see if I was still alive. I was almost blind because of the old age, but I realized that the shadow next to me had a pair of wings. I thought that the got to who I prayed my entire life and for I made earth sacrifices finally answered to my prayers. That's what I thought, and the angel read my thought. He told me that the one I bow to does not exists and that he was send by the only true God. Even if I did not prayed to his God he heard them and decided to help me, if I bow to Him. He asked me if I still want the thing I prayed for in the last year. I answered decidedly yes, in my mind. He said I am the chosen one and once I accepted the treated I will have to totally dedicate myself in the spreading of the true religion of God. He pulled put his heart from his chest and gave me to drink a few drops of blood enough to give me some powers so I can bite myself the rest. And since then I walk from village to village spreading His voice and keeping myself forever young. Meanwhile I got stuck with these two. Sometimes I give them to eat also.

"_Yeap it's clear. What she saw it was not an angel but a demon and gave her to drink demon blood that opens your appetite for human blood._"

- And the angel told you to kill humans?

- No, but I cannot show the people true religion if I am dead.

- Yeah.

- You see, my God is supreme, He is everywhere and has the power to forgive people's mistake. You only need to believe in Him and everything will change in your life. Life will not be a mystery anymore.

- Humans choose to believe in a god because they are desperate. They need to know that they're life has a meaning, has a purpose and no matter how many proofs you will show them that they're god does not exist, they will believe with more ardor that he exists. That, if they will lose this believe, they could realize that they're life has no meaning and that they are here just to be slaves of some kings or supernatural creatures in your case.

- Blasphemies, yelled the woman jumping off the bed. Exactly this is the reason for what you will be sacrificed. You don't want to believe that He exists, and that I am the proof.

- Wrong, you are the proof of a game. A demonic amusement. What you saw next to your bed it was not an angel it was a demon. You venerated a demon all these years.

- No, no, you will not bend my beliefs with these lies. I saw him with my own eyes. I know what I saw. And the over two hundred years I lived shows that He is up there, He is big and He protects his true believers. It's time to be sacrificed in His name.

She made a sign with the head towards the two big guys. They jumped on the priest and tied him to the bed in the correct position. Sun's light was contouring almost perfectly the table.

- I presume you don't know who you have on the shrine.

- Do I sit in front of a king by any chance?

Trebor burst into a roar of laughter. He was very calm for the ugly situation he was in.

- You see, I am not just a simple priest. Actually I wouldn't call myself that, because I have no tangency with religion. It's more of a pseudonym that I use so peasants can understand, at a smaller scale, with what I deal.

- And with what do you deal?

The ties from hands and feet burned with a blue flame.

- Get him, he is escaping!

One of the two giants wanted to jump on the priest so he does not get off the table, but the priest was faster, rolling off. The second giant grabbed him by the hair, twisted him once in the air and threw him in the torture table. Jumped next to the priest strangulating him.

A few moments later, the big guy backed out a few steps, leaving the priest to fall on his knees coughing and desperately trying to breathe some air in his lungs, even if the neck and chest gave him a burning sensation with each inhalation.

- Why did you let him go?

The giant turned at his mother holding his guts with both hands. Trebor cleaved him with a knife. The woman screamed with pain at the death of one of her kids and yelled to the remaining one to revenge his brother. The sacrifice was not important for her anymore, just wanted to see the priest dead.

The hulk ran towards the priest, trying to hit him in the head and more likely crushing it in two. Trebor dodge and touching his belly with the pointing finger, paralyzing him. The giant fell with his face in a heretic fork killing him instantly. The woman started pulling her hair out. Grabbed a knife and attacked Trebor. He paralyzed her without a problem and positioned her on the table tying her and waiting for the paralyze to loose it's effect.

- Set me free right now so I can kill you! You murdered my kids, criminal. You deserve to die!

- Yes, of course, I'm sorry. I am going to untie you now and I am even going to give you a knife and I will sit with hands at back waiting like a lamb to get cleaved. But how many kids have you killed during your long life?

- God will revenge me. He will not permit for His most devoted believes to die. You will regret this soon. God is supreme.

- Really? How can you believe in one merciful God that watcher over all when there are so many religions each venerating its own god?

- Why does it matter?

- I'm just curious.

- I will not protect my faith in front of you!

- Try it. Amaze me. Make me believe in this God of yours and I will set you free.

- Everybody makes mistakes, but God sees them all, understands us and forgives our sins. Other gods are just statues without any essence, they are not real.

- Is it that simple?

- Yes.

- So, your God will forgive me now for killing your kids, and you in a few moments, because he understands it was in self-defense.

- No!

- But you just said he will.

- You have to truly repent.

- Do you truly repent for all the murders you committed?

- Yes, absolutely, because they are not just crimes, they are sacrifices in His name. It is a real ritual.

- Smells of shit.

Trebor grabbed a knife and lifted it above the head prepared to stab her.

- No! You wouldn't want to do that!

- And why not?

- Because if you will let me go now, my God will give you eternal life and he will fulfill all of your dreams.

- Trough you? You mean that you are going to pay so I can live happily for the rest of my life? That is not proof that God exists, just that you bought your way out of this. It's hard to believe that God takes care of the needs of each person on this land. Unfortunately for you, I am not in need of anything.

- You wouldn't want to anger God!

- Do you listen to yourself how stupid you sound?

- He will smite you with thunders, swords and He will send angels to revenge me, will hit you with all possible diseases!

It was clear, the woman completely lost her mind. She was yelling and raving about her god. Trebor got tired of it and touched her forehead paralyzing her again. Got close to her ear and whispered.

- I am not a criminal. Even if you are not a human being anymore since you lived the equivalent of three human lives, I will not kill you. These crimes are going to stop, and you are going to live as long as you have left and you will die of old age, or I will be back for you and put you in the ground permanently. The cycle of life exists for a reason. No one is above death, not even gods.

By saying everything he had to say Trebor left the church he was in, returning to the inn. No one realized his absence. Found out from the innkeeper that it passed just three days since he was seen last time. Entering his room he found Zadkiel looking out the window.

- I was wondering when you will appear in the picture, said Trebor with sarcasm at the sight of the archangel. Thank you very much for your help, I wouldn't have managed to escape without it, so thank you.

The archangel shut up for a while, and when he opened his mouth to answer something, the priest interrupted him.

- Yes, I know. You can't intervene or you will start the apocalypse.

- It's more complicated than that. We cannot enter in churches risen in the name of other gods, or populated by the believers of other gods, unless they are your own churches. An invisible shield does not let us enter or see what is going on inside.

- What do you know about Unraed?

- He is heading towards Sarmizegetusa.

- What? Towards the capital?

- The city got built on top of a cemetery, where a huge fight between angels and demons took place. The cemetery is still there deep under the city, not many humans know about it. You can reach there through the old city that was closed to the population. Only death can be found there. Signs of that battle can still be found there. It broke the time, leaving holes through which magic flows. That's why the mages from that city are so strong. The holes are not seen by human, but they are felt by the most gifted mages.

- And he goes there because the magic power just floats in the air and could help him at opening the gates to Inferno. If that happens, doesn't it mean that the apocalypse will begin?

- Yes, but only than we will be able to intervene.

- So, if the angels intervene apocalypse begins and if the angels don't intervene apocalypse begins. That makes sense.

- I told you that you cannot understand some things. Plans of angels or demons, once initiated, cannot be directly stopped by the other camp unless the plans were completed. I explained this before. That's how things are, you don't like it, and you can just sit here and wait for the apocalypse to start.

The archangel did not wait for an answer, being obviously irritated by Trebor, and disappeared.

17


	6. Part Six

**Part Six**

In horizon Sarmizegetusa could be seen. He kept the straightest road towards the capital right through the middle of the desert. The blazing heat did not inconvenient him at all. He walked the majority of the time beside his horse. Horse's feet's were sinking deep in the sand and with Trebor on his spine the walk would become titanic, even for such a steed. He mounted again when the earth became more solid and the first whirs of green grass appeared.

"_We've been through so many to get here. Yes, Unraed. This is where all will end. This cemetery will be your own. I hope that angels sharpened they're blades and spears because there will be war. I feel sorry for the people of this city, ... actually not really. I really don't give a crap about what will happen with them. I am interested in only one thing. To see Unraed dead._"

The white walls of Sarmizegetusei could be seen in their full splendor when Trebor dismounted again. Without saying anything, grabbed the bag with the weapons and placed it on the grass next to him. Removed the saddle and bridle from the horse. The steed became irritated, as if he could feel what his master was about to do. Trebor placed his forehead and the massive chest, fondling the think and rugged mane of the horse.

- Here, we will, separate, whispered Trebor barely hearing himself.

The horse turned his head towards him, neighed and struck his hoof a few times.

- I am sorry my friend. You were faithful all this time. The only and true friend I had. But you will have to go. I cannot drag you into this, it is too dangerous.

The horse turned at him. The priest was fondling the horse's solid jaws, hard as stone.

- Try to find someone that deserves you.

He hit the horse over the lag that started running away from the priest. He followed him with the eyes for a while, with a sour shade in his heart. He swallowed his sighs, lifted the bad with the weapons and continued to walk towards Sarmizegetusa.

Reaching the walls he was searching for a way to enter in the old city without needing to go through the main city and without being seen by the guards on the walls that separate the two zones. At the end of the wall, on the side left on ruin, near to the corner, found a crack in the unintended wall for so long, through which he managed to slip in the city.

He carefully analyzed the zone for possible locations from where trouble set by Unraed could rise. The land from that zone was dead, no vegetation whatsoever could be seen. The few houses that were still standing, looked like they were about to crumble anytime under their own weight. Observed the tower of the church where the entrance to the underground cemetery was. Started walking vigilant towards it, looking around to not be caught by surprise.

A thunder in the far distracted his attention. Lifting his head towards the sky he saw that dark clouds were gathering above the city from all the directions.

"_I am not a meteorologist, but I am almost sure that these clouds are not acting natural."_

A weak sound came from the house behind him made him jump back a two steps prepared for an attack, pointing a handgun at the window of that house. The next moments passed in total silence, only the wind could be heard, buzzing with a sharp sound between the piles of rubble. The same sound that attracted his attention could be heard again shortly, it sounded like some was dragging along the earth. Trebor decided to investigate, but carefully, slowly approaching the broken door. He could not see what was going on inside the house.

Meanwhile the clouds covered the entire area, transforming day almost into night. The wind intensified also forming clouds of smoke on the streets. It seemed that any moment a huge storm was about to burst, thing approved by the more violent and often thunders.

How he was not able to see inside the house because of the darkness he formed a light of ball in his left hand, emanating enough light to see a few steps in front of him. Half of the roof in the house has crashed. Stepped inside the house until he heard a splash under his foot, looked down just to find himself stepping into a pool of blood. A murder took place there not long ago.

The pool left a trace that Trebor followed behind a pile of rubble. What he saw there made him take two steps back, not from fear but from pity. A tramp that came here to have a place to rest, a roof above his head, a bed where to sleep, more for the thought of having all those than from comfort. Something gave him the beating of his life, biting his lips and nose off, than breaking him in half. The blood clot from his bitten neck helped him make a special gurgitation sound. The creature was trying to drag herself towards Trebor wishing to bite him, instinct met at all undead. The priest squashed his cranium with his foot, ending his suffering.

He remembered the first meeting with such a creature, in a monastery, there where the one that thought him how to use his powers became undead after he died from an awful cold. He was again on the hallway surrounded by pools of blood, trying to find Iosif. He was getting close to the first round of rooms ...

"_This made me remember Iosif. I was getting close to the first round of rooms, placed on each side of the hallway. My heart was pounding in my chest so hard it was about to break through it. I was scared, yes, I was scared. I would lie to say different and I am not ashamed to recognize. Besides the morbid view, unable to narrate, from the first two rooms, no sign of Iosif. I was trying hard to not puke. Slowly started walking towards the next two rooms that had the doors wide open. _

_Just when I got close to the last two rooms I started distinguishing a sound, but I could not figure out what could make that sound. The room from where the sound came was slightly open. I just pushed it open with my finger. Iosif was standing on his knees with the back at me, biting from a priest. I backed out fast, sticking my back to the wall and bouncing my head off the wall. The sound was not loud, but for the current situation it was negligible. YOU IDIOT. I yelled in my mind. I did not know if Iosif heard the boom, because my hearing had been invaded by my own heartbeats. In the room in front of me there was a mirror placed in such position that I could see what was going on in the room where Iosif was. I froze. He was looking straight at me through the mirror, same way I was watching him. I was paralyzed with fear, literally. I was unable to move, I was unable to breath, I was unable to swallow, I was unable to blink. That lost look, empty, of my foster mentor was dreadful. From nose down, his face was full of blood. Iosif was holding a piece of holding in his hands and was refusing to swallow what he was slowly chewing, looking at me, as if trying to understand who I am, or if I am alive since I was standing still. _

_He slowly stood up, leaving the piece to drop from his hand. I observed how he tenses, preparing for attack and yet I was not able to move. Iosif darted with an impressive speed. From instinct I tried to dodge, stumbling over my own feet. Iosif passed through in front of my like a storm, jumping from a room into the other. Yes, exactly. The mirror saved me, because Iosif thought I am there and attacked the mirror, he was disoriented for a while, enough for me to get up on my feet and start running on the hallway towards the exit._

_I don't know how many times I got saved by luck, or by the absence of brain of many creatures._

_I closed the door of the hallway behind me when Iosif crushed into it giving me a push. Reached in the interior court, the storm that started did not let me see further than three steps in front of me. Time was pressing me, and Iosif's growl beckoned me that he was right behind the door, in the monastery._

_I climbed fast on a vine and jumped over the wall. Did not want to use the main gate to not show Iosif exactly what road I took. I ran up to the room where everything started. I entered through the crack in the door searching desperately for a weapon._

_What I did not knew than was that a zombie does not guide after what he can see, but rather after what he smell and what a zombie can smell is the meat of a human that's alive. So it happened that my advantage did not last for long. I placed the cross around my neck and I was searching for a sword, a knife, anything sharp so I can defend myself, when Iosif entered with all his force into the door, with the intention to break it._

_Iosif passed through the door at his third hit, I've hidden behind a locker. I found no blade. Started to feel that that might be my end._

_Another thing that I did not know about zombies at that time, but in my favor this time, was that, a zombie smells human meat from distance, but he does not precisely knows from where the smell comes. Iosif knew that I am in that room, but being hidden he did not knew where exactly I am. Touching different things in the room, I left my odor on all of them. _

_I was listening carefully from behind the locker. Iosif was slowly stepping inside the room, hitting a chair, or breaking a vase, searching for me. As I was sitting hidden I observed that the back of the locker was loose on one. It could have been a hidden drawer and the only way to find out if I was right was to break the board, but that meant to uncover my hiding place to _Iosif_. Sooner or later he would have found me so I decided to break the board, behind which I found a machete._

_I did not manage to grab the machete. Iosif smacked the locker with such force, that he broke it in small pieces, and threw me out in the rain through the crack in the wall. The machete flew out the window as well and I managed to see how it disappeared in a pool of mud towards which I started crawling._

_I was desperately fingering the pool to find the blade. Finally I touched metal, and I've cut my fingers trying to grab the weapon by its handle. Than a sharp pain thundered me, from the right leg up to the top of my head. Iosif has bitten me and I could see on his face that he was fully enjoying the piece that broke from me. I grabbed the occasion, stroke him with the machete cutting him in half. I thought everything was over. I leaned my back on the wall inspecting the wound, it was not looking so good. I started getting dizzy when a growl from Iosif could be heard._

_The upper half of Iosif started crawling again towards me with the intention to take another big bite. When he reached my legs I stroke his head with the machete. This time he remained dead._

_I stood there leaned on the wall relaxing until the sunrise. The rain stopped. I had fever, and I've lost a lot of blood. I barely managed to get up, dragged my leg to the main gate with the intention to reach the closest village for some medical help. I fell as soon as I closed the gate behind me not having anything to grab to stay on feet. The monastery was placed on top of a hill, and the road to it was thin and full of rocks around it, I rolled down the hill stopping on the main road. I had broken bones and broken head. I was more dead than alive when I was found by the duke of Tilst, Tina's father._

_The reason why I did not transformed myself into a zombie, like everyone else that is bitten by one, it was because my blood was strong enough to fight the infection. My blood protected me from becoming vrykolakas, werewolves and other creatures."_

Trebor left the house continuing his road towards the church. The sound of metal dragged on cement stopped him from his tracks, sound that has been hidden by the wind blow until now. The priest dropped the bag and pulled out another handgun. He was waiting in the middle of the road for the one that made those sounds to appear from behind the rubble.

"_Perfect, that's what I was missing now!"_, said Trebor to himself in him mind when a wall crumbled to the ground and from behind it appeared a huge skeleton with a thick sword in its hand, rusted and a shield that was covering almost its entire body.

"_Still the old school remains the safest, bullets would just ricochet from his bones."_

Trebor changed the handguns with two short blades and threw the bag behind a wall. He positioned the right leg in front of his left, unifying the red handles and starting to whisper an incantation in the angel's language. While he was intoning the incantation on the blades of the two swords words started notching, starting from the handle to top, in the same language. At the end the blades started burning with a white flame.

"_It's good that I don't use the guns for everything, this kind of fighting offers me the exercise I need to remain agile."_

The skeleton, with two heads taller than the priest, started running at him with heavy steps, dragging the sword behind him. Trebor rolled once behind to avoid the perpendicular hit of the skeleton that cut the pavement in two. The priest jumped to lay its first hit but it was brutally struck by the shield landing on a pile of rubber.

The swords did not fell from his hands even if he had the palms open. They were stuck. A pair of skeleton hand rose from the pile, nailing him to the ground. The giant got close to the priest with the sword lifted, prepared to cut him in two. Trebor thrust the sword in the pile and felt how the restrain relaxed right away. He urgently rolled away from the path of the devastating hit of the skeleton that cut the pile of rubble in two. A new hit followed that threw small stones in Trebor, with the thick side of the blade that made him covering his face. The skeleton charged at the priest with the shield with the intention to squash him in the wall behind them. The priest grabbed the top edges of the shield, propelling himself over the skeleton. The skeleton raised the heavy sword above his head while turning towards the priest. When the sword started dropping at his head Trebor moved just one step aside from its path, enough to not get hit, knowing that the skeleton could not stop the move. The blade struck the earth with an empty sound at half a step from the priest that darted cutting his arm from the elbow, than backed up a few steps to not get hit by the shield again.

The skeleton was watching his cut arm without making any noise. He grabbed his arm with the one still attached and positioned her at her place. It let her go after a few moments, leaving her to fall again on the ground.

Trebor started laughing at the creature's perplexity.

- An amputated member by charmed devices with this incantation cannot be reattached or regrowth.

Passed a few more moments until the skeleton understood what the priest has just said. Trebor was very tired. He already used most of his energy, that's why he was waiting for the skeleton's move, not wishing to burn even the last drop of energy of unsuccessful attacks.

The giant started stepping standing still making the ground shake. From the ground around him rose five smaller skeletons, with only a sword in their hands. One of them stepped in front of the big one and got broke in pieces by his shield.

Trebor took advantage of the fact that he discovered his chest and jumped, cutting the hand that was holding the shield and decapitating him with the other sword. Suddenly he was unable to breath and a sharp pain stole a short yell from him. One of the skeletons stabbed him in the belly. The priest destroyed him with one hit. He healed fast, but because he did not had so much energy left he managed just to stop the bleeding a little.

There were three more skeletons to deal with, that were coming together towards Trebor. All three attacked at the same time. Trebor was blocking the hits as best as he could, but he was constantly getting wounded. One by one he managed to destroy the skeletons, but he was finished. Drained of blood and tired, he fell on his knees leaning on his swords. The earth started shaking again. This time they were rising from everywhere, dozens and dozens of skeletons. He was surrounded, he was done for.

- Unraed! You will not stop me only with this! You will pay for what you did to Tina! said Trebor between his clinched teethes.

He got up on his feet hard, barely having any balance, prepared to face alone the army of skeletons equipped with swords, shields, bows, some of them even with rusty breastplates.

The skeletons were getting close slow but assured. The sounds of bones hitting each other were able to demoralize armies, making them run in few, let alone one man. Trebor felt how with each drop of blood lost he was losing his conscience. A voice in his head was telling him that this will be the end, but he did not wanted to listen to it. The idea that he would not be able to revenge Tina was feeding him adrenaline.

A torrential rain started, that wet everything in one second. Trebor was trying to hit the skeletons that were getting too close to him. One stabbed the priest in the back, before being killed by him. Force left him and fell on his back. The skeletons gathered up around him, some with the swords lift. He was not able to do anything anymore.

A loud thunder could be heard and the entire zone lightened up, making Trebor to close his eyes. When he opened them again, no skeleton was around him. He thought he was dead, especially because he had an archangel in front of his eyes. But he was a little different from the archangels that he met by then, besides the fact that he had a more imposing stature, it did not possess any human.

It was radiating a white light, warm. A white hood covered its head and was not letting Trebor see who that archangel is. An aureole was floating above his head formed from stars that were sparkling like the ones on the night sky. Huge wings with white feathers, twice as bigger than Trebor's hands. On the chest wearing a mithril armor, ornamented with inscriptions in their own language.

"_I died?"_, asked Trebor in his mind.

- No my friend, a voice familiar to the priest could be heard. I will not let you die, you haven't fulfilled your mission.

The archangel touched his chest with the palms, almost covering it entirely. Trebor felt how he is invaded by a calming warmth, relaxing and how all the pain disappears. The archangel was healing him and recovering all his energy.

"_Yes, I know this voice, it's you, but, why?"_

- The same reason why I got you out of hell, same pleasant voice could be heard.

The archangel was not moving it's lips to speak, even if Trebor was watching carefully to see them move.

- I have faith in you. You are the only one that can stop this without bringing destruction to the entire planet.

"_But how do you know that I will not just simply kill him now that I am fully healed?"_

- I am sure that at the opportune moment you will leave hate aside and will use your rationality.

Trebor got up and watched amazed around him. Other three archangels were there fighting with the undead army that were rising non-stop. The differences between Zadkiel were the other three archangels were the armors. On the head they did not had a hood but a mithril casqued. The archangels were as tall as Trebor, while Zadkiel was with half a body taller. Mithril kilt and long boots to the knees completed their.

- But what happened with you? I don't remember you so, ... Trebor was trying to find the right word.

- Tall?

- Yes, let's remain at tall.

- it's because you see me for the first time in my true appearance and I was promoted to the rang of seraphim, thanks to you.

- I doubt it, I don't remember being of any use.

- You were and you will be again. Now take this, Zadkiel handed him the weapon bag, and stop Unraed. We will take care that these abominations will not follow you.

Zadkiel opened his right palm and from the ground risen his sword straight into it. It was long, as long as Trebor almost, sparkling as if made only from precious metals, with all kind of striations on it, more likely charmed and deadly.

Trebor looked at him with admiration than started running towards the church to put an end once and for all to Unraed's ruling. He was sure that Zadkiel was wrong about him that he will kill the demon.

Tina's yells were invading his ears, he knew it was her and that she was somewhere close, but he was unable to see her. He was in a dirty room tied on a table and trying not to yell when Belenos, that was taking his turn on him and Tina, was digging with the knife in special places for maximum pain, but without killing him.

- I like it when you act so tough, but you know very well that you can wait too long before screaming. Listen to your love how she screams like a piglet. You have no idea how much fun we have with her as long as the day is, and here the day is extremely long.

Belenos was not only torturing him physically but he was destroying him mentally also.

That was happening day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year. Until one day, when everything started trembling inside the room. The one torturing him was not Belenos. The demon was as surprised as Trebor by those shakes.

The demon next to him became more restless as the shakes became more intensified. Being very tired from all the torture in that day, Trebor closed his eyes feeling how he slowly slips into unconscious. The last sound he heard was the sound of a crack, probably of a wall in the room. The demon screamed than a horrible burn pain covered his chest.

When he returned to the feelings he realized right away that something was different, he could not hear Tina's yells, the chain sounds he heard all day long while tortured and he felt no pain. He opened his eyes slowly to get used with the light. When things focalized around him he did not knew what to believe having the blue sky in front of his eyes.

He was free, but more than free, he was alive.

"_Was everything just a nightmare?"_

"_No" _a voice that wasn't his could be heard inside his head.

"_Who are you?"_

"_Archangel Zadkiel."_

"_I never heard of you."_

- That's because I am known by human under the name Liek, the protecting god of warriors, a man's voice could be heard from behind him.

- You are human?

- No, answered the man standing in front of him. This peasant is one of those that worship me and it's just my vessel for the moment. I cannot show you my real appearance because your eyes would explode out of your orbits and you would die in pain. And I went through to many to get you out of Inferno just to kill you again.

- Tina, I have to find Tina!

Trebor started screaming her name, but without an answer.

- Where you hidden her?

- I did not manage to get her out of there.

- Excuse me?

- I barely managed to get you out, and I got out really crinkled. If there weren't other archangels to heal me right away I would have died because of the wounds. It's not easy facing an army of demons.

Trebor did not know what to say.

- She, is still down there? You have to get her out of there!

- I can't.

- Why not?!

- Because first time they were not ready. Now they would tear me apart because I could reach the other end of the land.

- But we have to save her, we can't just let her there to suffer, she does not deserve it. Talk to the higher god, to send more of you there and I will come also. But we have to get her out of there.

The thought of Tina continuing to get tortured while he is free was driving him crazy.

- With who?

Trebor was stupefied, and trying to find an answer.

- With, the higher god, there must be someone above all..

- It's not like you think. We only have a consulate that takes decisions, there are five. And they decide what the rest of us should do

- But, who created you?

- You really want the entire story? It will take some time and time is not something we have.

- Keep it short.

- Okay. You and the dwarfs are relatives, you evolved, along thousands of years. We gods, we were left here by the titans that created this planet, to take care of it. You know, to maintain the balance between good and evil.

Trebor was visibly marked by the things just heard.

- So religion is just for facade?

- Not really. In essence, the one we represent has a positive message, of kindness, of respect for the person next to you, just that the way it's interpreted by human it's wrong. Humans have been raised with the impression that if they bow to a god three times a night than that god will make they're wish come true, because that's how a stupid priest told them before taking their money.

- And why don't you just show yourselves? So there will be no more doubts.

- Humans would just deny everything. They desperately praying at someone believing that the one they pray to really exists, but if that someone would show you they would reject him terrified. Priests would call him blasphemer and so on. Because than they would not make any more money from the poor idiots, and the rest of humankind, being thirsty for blood and war would listen to the priest, not they're god. We tried it, but humans are way too stupid to understand it. We show ourselves to those that are opened at mind and that are of any use to us.

- Like me.

- Exactly. Like you.

Trebor passed pretty fast over the news that religion is a lie. His thoughts continued to be at Tina and how she still needs to support the torture. It was not fair from its point of view.

- I will help you with only one condition, said Trebor.

- It can't be done and you are not in a position that permits negotiation.

- Than find someone else, said Trebor turning his back and stepping, where, he did not knew.

- I am sure you will be interested. It's about Unraed.

- The name does not say anything.

- It's the demon that killed you and Tina.

Than Trebor stopped from walking, slowly turning at the archangel.

- Continue before I change my mind.

- You will not change your mind. For one year, about, we managed to stop so Unraed gets his claws on a vessel that can support him. We were with one step in front of him all the time, killing his hosts. But a week ago he managed to enter in someone that can deal with his powers. We were deceived by an angel that directed us in the wrong way.

- And what is so hard to kill him?

- We cannot directly intervene in his plans. Apocalypse will be started.

- And what do you want me to do exactly?

- We know your powers, we know your past with Unraed. You are the only one capable of stopping him, but you cannot kill him, just exorcise him.

- But I don't know anything about exorcizing demons or how to kill them. From Iosif I learned to deal just with spirits, and small creatures, not demons.

- We know that also, that's why I permitted myself to teach you some more important things while you were out, at the right moment my teaching will let themselves be known. The rest you should find by yourself. The planet is filled with scriptures, true or false, about demons and creatures.

Trebor had depends in his thoughts. A chance was given to him to hunt down the one that destroyed his life.

"_Screw his exorcism. I am going to kill him for what he did to Tina, than I will go and save her from hell. But first I need to find where the entrance is and how it's down there"_

- Okay, I accept. What I have to do?

- To get on his track and not let him open the gates to Inferno. At the moment Unraed is at three day ride from here, at the south, heading towards Harlem. You will have to survive on your won from now on. If you have questions, ask them now. I will explain more things on the way.

Trebor started walking towards the place the archangel pointed without saying anything.

- Don't forget! Do not kill him, just send him back from where he came!

Zadkiel screamed after the priest for nothing, he was too deepening into his dreams and did not hear him. He was dreaming how he will kill Unraed and how he will save Tina.

He slammed open the church doors with his foot, entering convinced while behind him the archangels ahead with the seraphim Zadkiel, were holding back the army of skeletons that were rising non-stop around them. With swords in his hands, he was prepared for what Unraed prepared to throw against him. Used to listen to his instincts, felt that he should dodge, so he rolled in front twice. A round of benches hit the place where he stood moments ago.

From the shadows an angel killing demon appeared. Broke a long piece from a sustaining pillion, and heading menacing towards Trebor.

Zadkiel intervened again in Trebor's help, entering with the shoulder in the demon, throwing him outside through the wall.

- Go to Unraed, I will deal with him also!

Then he turned at the demon. An epic fight began between the two which were in hierarchical terms at the same level.

Trebor listened to the seraphim and continued walking passing through more doors and tower with spiral stairs that he descended and entering in the old city. It was pitching dark, no one taking care of that place in centuries. But somewhere further, a source of light could be seen. He prepared his weapons in the darkness, quietly, not wanting to blow his cover away, than slowly walked towards that light.

With each step that took him closer to Unraed, he was more careful to not make any sound. He stopped at the border between light and darkness.

More torches were burning around Unraed, kept by the acolytes. In front of Unraed a pentagram was drawn inside a circle with occult sign around it.

The ceremony was started for some time now. Spirits were flying with speed through air, the drawing on the ground were pulsating light. A strong wind started, the song of the acolytes intensified, and from the middle of the circle the hole to Inferno started opening.

Trebor could not wait anymore, he had to act fast. He got up, pointed the right hand towards the entire group, than yelled at them at attract they're attention. Absolutely all the acolytes turned their eyes at Trebor that was still in the darkness. Unraed tried to tell them to not look but it was too late. The priest's palm liberated a blinding light that burnt the face of all the acolytes killing.

- Crap. No wonder they are on the lowest step, they are so stupid I can smell they're stupidity, said Unraed. Welcome Trebor, I was expecting you. It's time to get my revenge from last time you almost killed me.

- You escaped only with the help of Zadkiel.

- Right, I will try to remember to send him a thank you card at his first anniversary.

Trebor pointed booth handguns at Unraed and shot, but the bullets did not do anything to him.

- Off, for how long will you mutilate my vessels?

The priest let go of the pistols and grabbed the swords, entering instantly into trance. Threw a sword at the demon which managed to dodge, scratching his face. Pulled the sword back at him with the help of a white smock that was making the connection between the priest's palm and the handle, like a kusarigama weapon.

Unraed had in mind to not take him easy this time, last time when he underestimated him, the priest almost took his life. Did not want to risk it second time. He threw off his human appearance, becoming himself. Tried to jump at the priest to bite him, but could not get close to him. Trebor was using the swords, keeping him at distance. The priest changed his fighting method and the demon did not like that so he changed to magic throwing fire balls at the priest. Trebor hidden in the darkness, where Unraed could not see him anymore. He kept throwing a fire ball in the place where he thought he hears the priest or sees movement, but without hitting him.

- You will not stop me! This time, I will open the gates to hell, and my brother will join me for in the quest to defile this planet.

- As sure you seemed last time also, priest's echo could be heard from the darkness.

- Come into light and fight like a hero you consider yourself!

- You confuse me. If not even after all this time since we know each other you do not understand that all I want is revenge and I do not care over who I step to reach it, means you are stupider than I thought.

- How dare you, you little shit! I will while my ass with you right before killing you.

Trebor started laughing in a way he did not laughed in a long time, sounded like pure craziness. Unraed got more angry and the spikes on his back light up producing a ray of light larger than the torches on the ground.

- Come and fight me if you want it so much!

The priest has been revealed, not being hidden by the darkness anymore. Unraed threw a fire ball at Trebor which threw a sword cutting the ball in half. All the energy from the ball dispersed in the air.

- If you invite me so nicely, I will please you.

Trebor attacked, dodging the demon's hits, trying to hit from the side but Unraed caught the sword between the teethes. The demon struck, pushing him back two steps and if it wasn't for the aura protecting the priest, he would be dead with his chest wide open. Next time he should be more careful, the energy necessary for blocking that hit, dried the shield.

- So close and yet so far from killing me, said Trebor.

- Next time you will not be protected by that shield.

- There will not be a next time!

Trebor attacked again. The hits were missing on one side and the other, with small exceptions, small scratches.

- It seems like we are equals, said Unraed.

- Don't be afraid, I will find a way to put you on the ground permanently.

Unraed started laughing.

- If I were in your place I would look back.

Trebor was not sure if he should do it, knowing the demon's tricky nature. But realized he forgot about something. The gate that Unraed struggled for so long to open it.

While they fought the gate slowly opened, and when Trebor turned, the circle completed, touching the limits of the drawing. A tower of fire raised, a black smoke which was moving freely for out of it, with speed, moving away from there. Demons of different color and dimension, each color characteristic for the color, started crawling out to the light.

Trebor felt he is grabbed by the foot and thrown on the ground. Unraed jumped on him pinning him on the ground and immobilizing him.

- But how!? How did you managed to open the portal? Last time you needed sacrifices.

Unraed was happy, smiling with all his teethes at the priest. Licked his face once and answered.

- There are more methods to open a portal boy. The sacrifices from last time, it was not necessary, but it was fun. And the energy that this place abounds helped me a lot this time, hastening the things a bit.

Sounds, some more horrible than other could be heard. Who know what kind of creatures managed to get out of hell. The apocalypse has begun.

- I won!

Unraed was radiating with happiness. Not even on demon from behind him came into his help, everyone ran into his business, trying to rush to light as fast as possible.

- Not yet.

Being held by the wrist, Trebor pointed his palms with approximation at the demon's body. His palms shot a light ball, but booth of them passed above the demon. The demon instinctively lowered a little, Trebor adjusted his palms and shot one more time. This time one of the balls hit Unraed in the ribs throwing him off Trebor. Made a hole pretty awful in the demon which was yelling in pain. He was crawling and struggling on his back, trying to get as far as possible from the priest.

Trebor slowly got on his feet. Yelled from his entire lungs, liberating a wave of energy that cracked the earth. Of the cracks extended to the portal, breaking the circle and stopping the spell, with the portal closing constantly. The priest was radiating a strong aura around him.

He was changed. A crack was scaring his face on the diagonal. It was red like the fire, on his neck his veins were illuminated, red. And on his hands there were more thin scars. He was looking as if he was transforming into a demon. Eyes lost they're iris becoming completely white.

- No, Unraed! Trebor's voice could be heard, but it was modified, coming in echoes. You were not even close to winning! YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO TINA AND YOU WILL PAY IT HERE AND NOW!

Trebor darted like an arrow towards a undefeated Unraed, that did not believed he was put in his place again by a human.

When he got at a few steps away from the demon, everything around him started slowing down, until time stood still. Unraed was not the one doing this because he got caught trying to get on his feet and remained like that.

"_Maybe Zadkiel intervened again? This time I will kill him also if he helps Unraed get away."_

The depressing location he was in changed with a field filled with flowers of every color and a blue sky without a cloud on it. Trebor could move freely now, watching amazed from left to right, becoming more assured that Zadkiel teleported him again in a different part of the land. But something seemed strange with that image that looked so familiar. As far as you could see with the eyes there were just fields, no forest, no house and everything was sparkling a little too hard. Than he remembered, it was the hill where he met Tina for the first time. Her father's castle was missing and other elements from the real Tilst, but he was convinced that this was the field where he first set his eyes on the beautiful princess.

Something touched him on the back, a gentle touch. He turned just the head, but he was not able to see who it was. Someone with a smaller stature than him leaned his back on his. A giggle could be heard. A giggle very known to Trebor. He started trembling, but not from cold or fear. He did not knew what to say, wanted to turn at the person behind him and hug her as he never hugged her before, but his body just not listened to him. He remained with his head turned on the side, as much as he could. Than he felt her smell, the perfume that she loved so much to use, strawberry. It was her, Tina.

Trebor tried to speak her name but his words got stuck in his neck. Tina giggled again. Weapons fell from his hand. The trance he was in scattered. But the sign on his face and hands were still highlighted.

- You accepted to come. Even if you were on the break of autodestructing. That's a good sign.

That soft voice which comforted his heart. He barely managed to restrain his tears. He did not realized until than how much he missed that voice. Everything that he dream about her or imagined with her, could not be compared with reality.

- Are you okay? eventually managed to babble Trebor.

Tina giggled again.

- You never knew what to say at the right times.

- But, how?

- That's better. The energy that you released, multiplied by the magic already existing there and the fact that you were thinking about me and that you wanted to be with me, brought your soul here. So, why did you come?

Trebor remained silent a few moments, not knowing exactly what to answer.

- I think, I want to be forgiven, said Trebor leaning his head.

- By who?

- But, I let you die.

- Of, sali-sili dali-dili.

It was some words that Tina said all the time when Trebor started to talk anomalous and only stupid things, and that he should stop that. Trebor loved those words.

- Don't you think it's time you do the forgiving?

Trebor wanted to say something more, but the scenery changed again, becoming again the dark place under Sarmizegetusa. Unraed was trying to run away, but was moving pretty had because of the wound. He was unable to stay on his legs. But the most important, Trebor returned to normal, the scars on his face and hands disappeared. He knew exactly what he had to do, he started stepping towards Unraed.

- No, no, stay away from me! Don't get close! yelled the demon that was at one step away from insanity.

- Now things are going to end, said the priest but not with a revenging voice.

Touched him with two finger on the forehead and started the exorcism in angel's language.

- Exorcizamus te, draco maledicte. ...

Further could not be heard by Unraed's yells that was sent back to hell. Leaving behind a mutilated body, unrecognizable.

"_It's, over."_

Trebor did not know if he should be happy or grieved. Lost in thoughts, trying to understand what just happened, started moving towards the exit, leaving his weapons there.

At the surface things were not looking so well. No sign of the archangels, but Zadkiel was standing leaned with the back on a wall, with his eyes closed. He didn't seem to be alive. Trebor turned towards him dragging his feet. After all this time, he finally felt tired, wanted to sleep, that's all.

Zadkiel slowly opened his eyes when the priest's shadow flooded him.

- A, it was just you, he said relaxing.

- Who were you expecting? A titan?

Trebor set down next to the seraphim.

- You whine like an old lady of osteoporosis, joked the seraphim.

- At least I look better than you. Where are the archangels?

- Dead.

- How did it happen?

- After they finished with the skeletons they came to help me with the angel attacking demon. Other four demons, all angel attackers came from under the city and attacked us. After they beat me one step away from death they left me alone thinking I was dead. How about you, what happened?

Trebor remained silent a few moments, trying to find the right words to explain what happened.

- Unraed managed to open the portal. I closed it, but kind of late. Who knows what kind of creature got out of there. I talked to Tina and I exorcized Unraed.

Moments of silence took over the two.

- Zadkiel, ...

- No need to thank me.

Trebor nodded his head in sign of thankfulness.

- Don't you dare start crying and make this victory into a drama, or I will beat you one step away from death and send you back to hell.

- You? Beat me? Right now you are not even able to bling, not to mention lifting your hand at me.

They started laughing, but not too much because it was painful.

- And now, what will you do?

- I want to retreat at a good inn, maybe I will go back to Arhus and finally sleep like a man, quietly. Without nightmares. Now that we have time, I want to ask you, why did you send that dog to help me against the hiisi?

- I was not expecting him to die. I wanted to prove to you that not everything that is surrounded by humans is septic and that your feeling did not became epileptic.

- Where is he now?

- Where his place is. Do you know why the hiisi were so scared of him and he not at all of them?

- No. but I have a feeling you will tell me.

- That's what I will do. Guess who watches in hell so a demon or something will not cross into a zone where he is not permitted.

- Cerberi.

- Exactly and when they were alive, the Cerberii were dogs.

Trebor barely managed to get on his feet.

- I do not know what you want, but I just want to get the hell out of here. Don't like the place.

- I will laze here for a little longer.

The priest stopped in a spot where not long ago the entrance to the church was and turned at Zadkiel.

- I hope that what I lived with Tina moments ago it was not a trick of yours. I hope so, you everyone's good that it was real and that she really is no longer in hell. I will find out if you deceived me or not. If I find out you lied, I am going to hunt you down and kill you, than I am going to kill all the angels.

- You don't have how, you don't know how.

- You forget that there are twice as many writings about good gods, than about the bad ones. I will find a way.

Zadkiel answered him with a simple gesture of his hand.

Trebor insisted with the eyes a little longer on the seraphim than turned dragging his feet and started walking towards an exit way.

After he fully recovered, Trebor asked help from a magician to burn in his bones two signs. A strange request, very painful yet necessary. One of the sign was making him invisible to the demons, the other one to the angels, making it harder for them to find the priest. He retreated in solitude, trying to live his life as quietly as possible.

**The End**

25


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